Li Na of China hits a forehand to Russia's Vera Zvonareva during their match at the Pacific Life Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, March 14, 2007.Li Na staged a huge rally after 5-1 down in the second set to defeat Russian 15th seed Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 7-5 in the quarter-finals of the Pacific Life Open. (Xinhua Photo)

Chinese Li Na staged a huge rally after 5-1 down in the second set to defeat Russian 15th seed Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 7-5 in the quarter-finals of the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells of California.

Li moved to the Indian Wells semifinals for the first time in her career where she will face the winner of a match between Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova and Shahar Peer of Israel.

Li broke Zvonareva's serve twice in the first set and three times in the second while hammering 24 winners in the one hour, 27 minute match at the main Indian Wells Tennis Garden stadium.

Last year was a breakthrough season for not only Li but Chinese tennis as Li became the first from her country to reach a Grand Slam singles quarter-final at Wimbledon.

This is Li's second semifinal this year after she lost in the last four to Belgian Kim Clijsters at the WTA Sydney tournament.

Zvonareva's exit from Indian Wells comes one day after she knocked out defending champion and top seed Maria Sharapova of Russia 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.

Li, who is the first Chinese to be ranked in the top 20 in the world, won six straight games to finish off the second set, fighting off two set points in the tenth game to level the set at 5-5.

Editor: Donald