Australian Open: Li Na Upsets Caroline Wozniacki to Advance to Finals

Li Na has upset No. 1 seed Caroline Wozniacki to advance to the Australian Open final. This was a see-sawing match that could have gone either way. It was a match-up of Li Na's aggressive, hard-hitting style vs. Caroline Wozniacki's conservative defensive game.

According to the Australian Open semifinal match statistics, Wozniacki had 10 winners and 24 unforced errors compared to Li's 42 winners and 51 unforced errors.

For the first set and a half, Wozniacki looked to be the fitter player. For the first set and a half, Wozniacki wore Li out, breaking her down and forcing errors. In the first set, Wozniacki was able to break Li's first service game to go up 2-0. Although Li was able to break back, she lost her serve again at 3-2 when a double-fault gifted Wozniacki with another break. Caroline Wozniacki went on to take the first set 6-3.

The second set proved to be contentious. Another double-fault from Li allowed Wozniacki to catch an early break to go up 2-1. Li later dug out of 0-40 to break back for 4 all. Caroline was able to break again to go up 5-4, giving her the opportunity to serve out the match.

At 5-4 in the second set, Wozniacki was up a break and serving for the match, but gutsy Li fought to break back. At 5-6 on serve, Wozniacki was serving for a tie-break, but Li was able to clinch the second set after four deuces.

At the start of the third set, it was still difficult to predict who would eventually prevail. Li had to fight just to hold serve on the opening game, but Wozniacki was already beginning to look tired from scrambling.

The third set was a "break-fest." Wozniacki was able to catch an early break to go up 2-1, but Li responded by breaking to go up 4-2. Wozniacki seemed to regain control of the match when she broke back for 3-4 on serve, but Li Na seemed to have that extra bit in the tank. She broke back to go up 5-3, and served out the final set to win 6-3.

Li Na also seemed to have the crowd on her side. ESPN emphasized Li's "historic" victory, so much so that I saw shades of MSNBC praising Obama on election night. Commentators pointed out that she was the first Asian to ever reach a major final. To be sure, she's the first Asian woman to reach a final, but I guess nobody remembers Michael Chang, who won the French Open in 1989.

All credit to Li, who won a hard-fought victory, but I do hope that Caroline Wozniacki will be able to bounce back and win a major soon. The WTA has seen too many "head cases" like Jelena Jankovic and Dinara Safina, No. 1 players who are unable to win slams.

Li Na will take on Kim Clijsters in the Australian Open final. Clijsters is a slight favorite, but given Li's ability to fight from match point down, you can never count her out.