Former world No.1 Maria Sharapova, now ranked 102nd, for the fourth time in a row at the 2009 French Open showed her well-known characteristics that brought her loads of fans, her ever-present fighting spirit combined with powerful tennis. Sharapova beat Li Na 6-4 0-6 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals, even though it wasn’t expected as Sharapova played her first singles match in nine months only two weeks ago.

Li Na was leading 4-2 in the deciding set, but just as it seemed Sharapova would slowly vanish from the tournament, she won four games in a row to upset Li and prevent her from becoming the first Chinese to reach the Roland Garros quarterfinals. The Russian closed out the match on her first match point.

Sharapova’s next opponent will be seed No.20 Dominika Cibulkova, who beat No.29 seed Agnes Szavay 6-2 6-4 in the fourth round.

The only Grand Slam title missing in Sharapova’s collection is the French Open one. (photo: Stephane Martinache)

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China’s Li Na, seeded 25th, is the only representative of Asia still alive in the singles draw of Roland Garros 2009 after the fourth day of play.

Li defeated Swiss Timea Bacsinszky 6-1 6-4 to advance to the third round, while compatriot Zheng Jie, seeded 15th, was upset by Grand Slam debutant Michelle Larcher de Brito of Portugal 6-4 6-3 in the second round. China’s No.31 seed Peng Shuai lost in the first round to Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.

Japan's Ai Sugiyama, who extended her record for consecutive appearances in Grand Slam main draws to 60, and her compatriot Ayumi Morita both lost in the first round, along with India's Sania Mirza.

Defending champion Ana Ivanovic made a much more convincing score than in her first-round match and beat Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-1 6-2.

Li is now the only Asian women’s tennis player left out of the seven who entered the tournament. (source: Reuters, photo via Sony Ericsson WTA Tour)

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World number one and top seed Serena Williams has come to be only two victories away from a record sixth Sony Ericsson Open title after beating China’s Li Na 4-6 7-6(1) 6-2 to reach the semifinals.

The 27-year-old Li raced to a 5-0 lead in the first set, and even though Williams won the next four games, Li took the opening set. The second set was decided in a tiebreak which Williams won 7-1. The five-time Miami champion was quick to capitalize in the third set.

In the semifinals, Williams could face a 20th career meeting with sister Venus, if Venus beats Iveta Benesova in their quarterfinal.

The other semifinal will feature Svetlana Kuznetsova and Victoria Azarenka. (source: Sony Ericsson Open, photo: Ralf Reinecke)

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Second seed Marion Bartoli of France won her 300th career singles match and first title this year, beating China's Li Na 6-4 6-3 in the final of the Monterrey Open in Mexico.

Bartoli’s biggest competition on paper was top seed Agnieszka Radwanska, but she was upset in the first round by unseeded Li.

The Monterrey Open title is Bartoli’s fourth career singles title. The 24-year-old won Auckland, Tokyo and Quebec City in 2006. (source: Sony Ericsson WTA Tour)

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World number three Jelena Jankovic reached the quarterfinals of the Open GDF SUEZ with a 6-0 3-6 6-2 victory over China’s Li Na.

Due to a right knee injury, Li hadn’t played any tournaments in 2009 prior to this one in Paris, and after the first set it looked as if Jankovic would make short work of the Chinese world No.28.

The second set continued in the similar manner, with Jankovic dominating, but after a 3-1 lead for the Serb, Li won all the following games in the set.

Eventually, Jankovic managed to win the third set, finishing it with being two breaks up.

Fifth seed Alize Cornet, who defeated Daniela Hantuchova 1-6 6-4 6-2 earlier today, will be Jankovic’s opponent in the quarterfinals. (photo: Ralf Reinecke)

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