An in form Li Na has swept her Japanese opponent Akiko Morigami in only 48 minutes at the WTA Nasdaq 100 Open to reach the second round.

 

Li Na won the rain-delayed first-round rubber in straight sets: 6-1, 6-2. She will face Russian sensation Maria Sharavopa in the second round.

 

Meanwhile another Chinese player, Zheng Jie, the Australian Open doubles champion, has finally won a singles match this year.

 

Zheng beat Varvara Lepchenko of Uzbekistan 7-5, 6-3 to advance to the second round.

 

Compatriot Yuan Meng was not so lucky and fell to Marta Domachowska of Poland: 6-4, 6-4.

 

China's Peng Shuai was another casualty on Friday as she was beaten by 15-seeded Russian Elena Likhovtseva: 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the second round.

 

(CRI English March 25, 2006)