Li Na storms into French Open second round

China’s Li Na returns the ball to Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues during their first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium Monday, May 27, 2013 in Paris. AP

PARIS — Chinese sixth seed Li Na, the 2011 champion, cruised into the French Open second round on Monday with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Anabel Medina Garrigues.

The 31-year-old Li, who will face Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States, for a place in the last 32, had lost all three of her previous career meetings on clay against Garrigues.

Her form on the surface has been up and down in 2013, a runner-up finish to Maria Sharapova in Stuttgart followed by a first round loss in Madrid and a third round exit in Rome.

Under the watchful gaze of coach Carlos Rodriguez, the man who engineered Justine Henin’s successes at Paris, Li was quickly 5-1 up in the first set.

But the experienced Garrigues, playing in her 38th consecutive Grand Slam main draw, rallied late on with two games before the Chinese star settled to take the opener after 48 minutes.

In a rollercoaster of a tie, Garrigues was 2-0 up in the second set before Li hit back for 4-3.

The Spanish 30-year-old clung on for 4-4 before Li broke for a 5-4 advantage and then sealed the win when her opponent went long with a service return.

In all the match featured 10 breaks of serve.