MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — French Open champion Li Na advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open on Friday when her third-round opponent, Anabel Medina Garrigues, retired after turning her ankle.
The Spaniard stumbled after hitting a backhand 14 minutes into the match and appeared to twist her right ankle. She collapsed to the court and began sobbing, while Li came to her side of the net to check on her.
Medina Garrigues continued to play after receiving treatment, but retired in the middle of the next game while trailing 0-3 and love-30 in the first set.
Fifth-seeded Li next faces Belgium’s Kim Clijsters, who defeated her in last year’s Australian Open final.
