21 Jan 2012

Women's final repeat in fourth round of Australian Open

6:36 am on 21 January 2012

Last year's Australian Tennis Open women's final will be reprised in the round of 16 this year as Kim Clijsters and Li Na set up a showdown with contrasting third round wins.

Defending champion Clijsters cruised conventionally into the fourth round after a comfortable straight sets win over Slovakian 20th seed Daniela Hantuchova on Hisense Arena.

Clijsters beat Hantuchova 6-3 6-2 in 75 minutes in a match which never appeared in doubt.

Though her first set wasn't as fluent as one expects from the Belgian, she was in fine touch in the second.

But Chinese hope Li's late night had an early finish after third round opponent Anabel Medina Garrigues retired in the first set because of an ankle injury.

Spain's Medina Garrigues went over on her right ankle with Li leading 2-0 and spent several minutes prone on the court being treated by medical staff.