Last barrier

Li Na of China celebrates after defeating Ekaterina Makarova of Russia at the US Open tennis championships in New York, Sept 3, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

The US Open had been the last Grand Slam where Chinese women had stalled before reaching the final four.

Zheng Jie was the first Chinese player to reach a Grand Slam semifinal, making the last four at Wimbledon in 2008 and the Australian Open in 2010, but Li has enjoyed even greater success.

Two years ago, Li became the first Chinese to make a Grand Slam final when she finished runner-up in Australia and a few months later she won the 2011 French Open to become China's first Grand Slam champion.

Li's semifinal opponent will be either world number one Serena Williams or Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro, who were meeting in Tuesday's feature night match.

"I will lie down in the bed, take some chips and watch the match," Li said about scouting her next opponent. "They will just fight and I'll relax."

Li took the fight to Makarova in her quarterfinal, smashing 44 winners against just 15 for the more defensive 25-year-old Makarova, though the Chinese struggled with eight double faults.

Li Na of China hits a return to Ekaterina Makarova of Russia at the US Open tennis championships in New York, Sept 3, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

Azarenka and former world number one Ivanovic had even more trouble serving in the day's opening match, where holding serve was the exception rather than the rule.

In a match of 29 games, there were 16 service breaks with Azarenka fittingly ending the two-hour, 10-minute struggle by breaking Ivanovic for the ninth time of the contest, when Ivanovic netted a backhand on the fourth match point.

Azarenka had her serve broken seven times and committed nine double faults, while Ivanovic lost nine of her service games and made eight doubles after playing a brilliant first set.

"It was a big battle. That's what I was expecting from Ana," said Azarenka.

Ivanovic, making a concerted effort to climb back up the rankings after a long slump, tried to see the bright side.

"It's very encouraging, because I know I'm right there," she said. "It's definitely a lot of positives to take from this week and this match. But it still doesn't change. It's disappointing and it hurts."

Li Na's 2013 US Open trip:
5th round 6-4 6-7(5) 6-2 Ekaterina Makarova, Russia		4th round 6-3, 6-0 Jelena Jankovic, Serbia
3rd round 6-2, 7-5 Laura Robson, Britain		2nd round 6-2, 6-2 Sofia Arvidsson, Sweden
1st round 6-2, 6-2 Olga Govortsova, Belarus		Highlights on doping Li cleared of doping allegations Li forced to take steroid pills? officials say no