Li wins comeback title, Zheng/Yan fall at Gold Coast
7th Janauray 2008

The Chinese No.1 Li Na won her comeback event at the Australian women's hard court tennis championships at Gold Coast after another gritty 2-1 win over Belarus' Victoria Azarenka in the final on Saturday.

The 25-year-old, playing her first tournament in six months due to injury, took two hours and 11 minutes to rally past Azarenka 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, notching up her first WTA title in three years and the second in career, adding to her 2004 victory in China's Guangzhou. She also took home the top prize of US$28,000.

In the opening set, Azarenka called a medical time-out for a right upper thigh injury while leading 4-3, which did not appear to affect her movement. Azarenka won the first set at 6-4 with two breaks against just one from Li. After tying the match at 6-3 in the second set, Li appeared to find rhythm and in the deciding set at 4-4, she broke Azarenka's service in the ninth game. Li then held service in the next game, winning on her first match point.