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Cetkovska upsets No. 1-seed Li Na in Qatar

Petra Cetkovska, shown in a 2009 file photo, posted an upset win Thursday over No. 1-seeded Li Na at the Qatar Total Open WTA tournament. (UPI Photo/Eco Clement)
Petra Cetkovska, shown in a 2009 file photo, posted an upset win Thursday over No. 1-seeded Li Na at the Qatar Total Open WTA tournament. (UPI Photo/Eco Clement) | License Photo

DOHA, Qatar, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Petra Cetkovska outlasted top-seeded Li Na for a marathon three-set victory Thursday in a second-round match of the Qatar Total Open.

Cetkovska edged past Li 7-6 (7-2), 2-6, 6-4 in 2 hours, 46 minutes. Li won two more points -- 121-199 -- over the course of the match but Cetkovska held the advantage in the decisive third set, finishing off three of her four break chances.

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It was the second time that the No. 139-ranked Cetkovska beat a world No. 3-ranked player.

Li, however, is already assured of reaching No. 2 in the rankings as of Monday. She is the first Chinese woman to reach that point of the rankings. Peng Shuai Thursday locked up a No. 1 ranking in doubles, as she'll pass Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci for the top spot. No Chinese player has been ranked No. 1 in doubles previously.

Li was the only seeded player to lose in singles Thursday as No. 2-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska was up 6-4, 1-0 when Marina Lucic-Baroni was unable to continue and retired. Third-seeded Petra Kvitova was on the court nearly 2 1/2 hours before taking a 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-2 decision over Lucie Safarova.

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Errani, seeded fourth in singles, topped Monica Niculescu 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, also in about 2 1/2 hours, while fifth-seeded Jelena Jankovic beat Alisa Kleybanova 6-1, 6-2 and No. 6 Angelique Kerber topped Klara Zakopalova 6-2, 6-3 in relatively short matches.

Seventh-seeded Simona Halep finished off a 6-4, 6-1 win over Annika Beck by recording eight breaks in eight receiving games.

Unseeded Yanina Wickmayer, who earlier ousted eighth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, advanced with a 1-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory over Jana Cepelova.

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