Li shrugs off illness to reach last 16 in Tokyo

French Open champion Li Na shrugged off a nasty cough to beat Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 and reach the last 16 of the Pan Pacific Open on Tuesday.

One of three Chinese players who made the trip to Tokyo despite a blazing political row between her country and Japan, Li’s experience told after a wobble in the second set.

“Obviously I’m still not 100 per cent,” Li told reporters. “Just trying to stay healthy and taking medicine every morning and every night.”

However, last year Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was bundled out in the first upset of the US$2.16 million tournament, suffering a 6-4, 6-4 defeat by Croatia’s Petra Martic.

Li’s appearance in Tokyo was a relief for organisers after China withdrew its badminton players from the Japan Open earlier this month amid escalating tensions over disputed islands in the East China Sea.

Playing on an outside court, last year’s Roland Garros winner lacked sharpness after a whirlwind book-signing tour in China following the release of her autobiography.

But the 30-year-old Li saved her best for the big points, putting the match away by smashing a cross-court backhand into the corner after two hours, 37 minutes.