Li to defy Schiavone in French Open final

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China's Li Na will take on defending champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy in the French Open final after both scored straight sets victories on Thursday.

Li, bidding to become the first Chinese player to win a Grand Slam singles title at the age of 29, defeated double-fault prone Maria Sharapova 6-4, 7-5 in the first of the semi-finals.

The 30-year-old Schiavone then comfortably saw off French hope Marion Bartoli with a 6-3, 6-3 lesson in claycourt tennis.

The two have met four times previously with the series shared at 2-2. Schiavone though won their last encounter, in straight sets, in the third round at Roland Garros last year.

Li's win made it back-to back Grand Slam finals for her and she gets another crack at becoming the first player from China to win a major title after losing to Kim Clijsters at the Australian Open at the start of the year.

For Sharapova it was a bitter pill to swallow as she had hoped to become just the 10th woman in the history of the sport to win all four Grand Slam titles, having won one apiece at Wimbledon and the Australian and US Opens.

But 10 double faults, five in each set, proved to be her undoing on a day when gusty winds sent the red dirt flying on the Philippe Chatrier centre court.

The 24-year-old Russian looked briefly likely to take the tie into a deciding set as she went a break up in the second, but once again her serving proved unreliable and it was fitting that she double-faulted on match point.

Li, who is aware she is making big headlines back home in China as she closes in on what would be an historic win, said that she hoped to draw on her experiences in Melbourne when she became the first Chinese player to play in a Grand Slam final.

"But this time it is the second time to the final. Of course, you know what you should do," she said.

"I know it's different surface, but you play six matches already. So, yeah, this time I know what I should do in the final."

Schiavone, an upset winner here last year when she defeated Samantha Stosur of Australia in the final, once again used her tactical awareness and variety of shots to defuse the hitting power of a bigger and stronger opponent.

Bartoli gave as good as she got early on, but once Schiavone had procured the first break of serve in the eighth game of the first set, she had her nose in front.

The Frenchwoman, seeking to become just the second home winner of Roland Garros in the Open era, served for a 3-0 lead in the second set but seemed to go to pieces after being called for a time violation.

Schiavone gleefully stepped in to take advantage and just three weeks shy of her 31st birthday, a win on Saturday will make her the first player 30 or over to win a Grand Slam title since Martina Navratilova's 1990 Wimbledon triumph.

As is her custom, the Italian stooped to kiss the red clay surface immediately after her 13th consecutive win at Roland Garros.

"I hope my experience from the final last year will help. It's a dream come true to reach another final," said Schiavone.

"But Li has had an amazing year. She was in the Australian Open when she lost to Kim (Clijsters). It will be tough. She is a great player and a great person, but someone has to win."