Li continues 2013 win streak

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SYDNEY, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- No. 4-seeded Li Na, coming off a tournament title two days earlier, took a tough straight-set win Monday at the Apia International tennis tournament in Sydney.

Li collected the title at Shenzhen, China, on Saturday but needed more than 2 hours to get out of the first round at Sydney, eventually beating Christina McHale 7-6 (7-2), 7-5.

There were 11 breaks in the 24-game match, with Li getting six of them. Li had a statistical advantage -- winning 58 percent of the points on serve and 51 percent receiving -- but still was on the court 2 hours, 3 minutes before completing the win.

Third-seeded Sara Errani had an easier time gaining the second round, stopped Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 6-3 in 51 minutes. Errani didn't face a break point, losing eight points in eight serving games.

Zheng Jie upset sixth-seeded Samantha Stosur 6-3, 6-7 (7-9), 6-4 and Roberta Vinci ousted eighth-seeded Nadia Petrova 7-5, 7-5.

Other winners Monday were Jelena Jankovic and qualifiers Kimiko Date-Krumm, Madison Keys, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Ayumi Morita.

The Apia International, a final tune-up before next week's Australian Open, field featured seven Top 10 players -- all but No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, second-ranked Maria Sharapova and No. 3 Serena Williams.