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WTA BNP Paribas Open: Li Na to face Dominika Cibulkova in Australian Open rematch

Li Na of China returns a shot to Aleksandra Wozniak of Canada during the BNP Parabas Open at Indian Wells
Image: Li Na: Will face Dominika Cibulkova in Indian Wells quarter-finals

Li Na stumbled over the line against Aleksandra Wozniak at the BNP Paribas Open to set up an Australian Open final rematch against Dominika Cibulkova.

The top seed amazingly missed 10 match points in the final game before finally completing a 6-1 6-4 success over Wozniak to book her spot in the quarter-finals.

Li had cruised through the first set in just 32 minutes, but her shaky finish meant she needed another hour to finally see off her Canadian opponent.

"I think all the match I was feeling pretty good except the last game," Li said after the contest.

"The funny thing is at the beginning of the game I was feeling tight, nervous, and then I was feeling like, 'what's going on? Why can't I finish the match?'.

"But she never gave up and she tried to defend every point. It was a little bit tedious in the last game."

Cibulkova, who was well beaten by Li in the final in Melbourne, has managed to maintain the momentum of her surprising Australian Open run throughout the rest of the season so far.

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The Slovakian upset eighth seed Petra Kvitova 6-3 6-2 on Tuesday to earn another shot at Li in the last eight in Indian Wells.

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