Maria Sharapova lost the match with Na Li from the Australian Open semifinals. This also means that I lost the bet I made on the victory of Sharapova.
Moreover, the victory of Na Li over the Russsian ranked no. 2 proved to be a comfortable one. She only needed two sets to get into the final of the first Grand Slam of the year, and the score was 6-2, 6-2.
Sharapova was the clear favorite after losing only nine games in her first five matches, a record at the Australian Open since it expanded to a 128-player draw in 1988. Though, this semifinal started badly for Maria, who served two double-faults, and therefore conceded a break exactly in the first game.
On the other hand, Li had the backing of the crowd at Rod Laver Arena, where dozens of red and white Chinese flags swirled in the air. Li was the first Chinese player to reach a Grand Slam final in 2011, when she lost to Kim Clijsters in Melbourne.
All in all, this victory was highly deserved by the Chinese tennis player Na Li, but judging by the performances and the records achieved by Maria Sharapova this year at Australian Open, it was hard to anticipate.
Result: -10, bet lost