Tennis: Top-seeded Li Na advances to Shenzhen Open semis

BEIJING — Top-seeded Li Na advanced to the semifinals of the Shenzhen Open by beating Monica Niculescu of Romania 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 Thursday.

Li Na 1 step closer Shenzhen title defense, plays @BeckAnnika in SFs. Peng Shuai vs @Queen_V21 in other half--> http://t.co/qRcfmC5tGS #WTA

— WTA (@WTA) January 2, 2014

Li, the defending champion, will next play Annika Beck of Germany. Beck defeated Patricia Mayr-Achleitner of Austria 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Also advancing to the semifinals was fifth-seeded Peng Shuai of China. Peng beat Jana Cepelova of Slovakia 6-3, 6-2 and will next face Vania King of the United States. King beat Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-4. - AP