Li Na sees off Karolina Pliskova in Indian Wells

Top seed Li Na has reached the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells thanks to a straight-sets victory over Karolina Pliskova.

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The Australian Open champion started unconvincingly, conceding the first break in the third game before hitting back and levelling the first set after changing ends.

She broke Czech Pliskova's serve at the next time of asking too, going on to hold her serve comfortably twice more to claim the set 6-3.

In the second set, Li secured the first break but was pegged back by Pliskova before crucially breaking in the ninth game to go 5-4 ahead before serving out the match.

She will face either Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Aleksandra Wozniak in the fourth round.