Li wins Gold Coast

Li Na celebrates her return to the tour by winning Gold Coast

You do not expect a player who has been out for months with an injury to win the first tournament she plays upon her return, but Li Na did just that at the Mondial Women's Hardcourts in Gold Coast, defeating Victoria Azarenka, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. The match (from my limited electronic scoreboard viewpoint) seemed to be a repeat of Li's semifinal match with Patty Schnyder, in that breaks of serve were the norm. Because of that, it was impossible to believe that anyone serving for a set or even the match was likely to win.

Li had already taken out not only Schnyder, but also the tournament's number 1 seed, Nicole Vaidisova, and she did look destined to win the whole thing, but Victoria Azarenka proved to be a formidable opponent. Azarenka, in my opinion, is in for a very nice tennis future.

Li sustained a rib injury during the summer and had her season cut short. She was recovering--and presumably training--in Germany prior to her return to the tour.