Li Na returns a shot to Aleksandra Wozniak of Canada during their match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California on Tuesday (US time). Photo: CFP

Li Na needed 11 match points to put away Aleksandra Wozniak on Tuesday (US time) and book an Indian Wells clash with Dominika Cibulkova, the woman she beat in the Australian Open final.

China's Li, the world No.2 and top seed in the $12 million combined ATP and WTA tournament, defeated ­Canada's Wozniak 6-1, 6-4 to secure her quarterfinal berth.

She steamed through the opening set in 32 minutes, but needed another hour to finally wrap up the second set against a player whose ranking has tumbled to 241st after she was sidelined by injury.

All 11 of Li's match points came in the final game, with two break points for Wozniak mixed in.

"Welcome to the crazy women's ­tennis tour," Li said. "She never gave up, she tried to defend every point. Yeah, it was a little bit tedious in the last game."

Four of Li's nine double faults came in the final game, and she lost her cool briefly when a successful challenge of a line call brought not a point awarded - on her third match point - but a replay of the point.

"I was really angry, because I saw I won the point," she said. "But suddenly I heard 'replay.'

"I was like, 'Replay? What are you talking about?'"

Li lost the replayed point and the game went to the first of 10 deuces.

Cibulkova defeated eighth-­seeded Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-2, and Li said she wouldn't be ­taking anything for ­granted against the Slovak.

"Last win [against Cibulkova] doesn't mean anything because I see she played well here," Li said. "For me it's always a tough match to play against her."

Jelena Jankovic ended her skid against Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki to set up a quarterfinal meeting with second-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland.

Jankovic, seeded seventh, defeated 10th-seeded Wozniacki 6-3, 6-1 in a ­battle of former world No.1s.

Radwanska advanced with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over France's Alize Cornet.

Italian qualifier Camila Giorgi, who shocked defending champion Maria Sharapova in the third round, couldn't maintain her momentum, falling 6-2, 6-1 to compatriot Flavia Pennetta.

In men's action, Novak Djokovic shook off a mid-match lapse to beat ­Alejandro Gonzalez and set up a clash with red-hot Croatian Marin Cilic, who beat 16th-seeded Spaniard Tommy ­Robredo 6-4, 6-3.

Djokovic, the world No.2 and second seed, defeated world No.91 Gonzalez 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, but said he'll have to play better in the fourth round against Cilic.

"In the end of the day, a win is a win," Djokovic said.

"I have to try to look on the positive side and get myself ready for the next one."

Agencies - Global Times