China's Li Na could be Aussie Open contender: Kim Clijsters

Li Na could be a contender at the Australian Open, Kim Clijsters said after losing to China's number one in the final of the Sydney International on Friday.                                         

Li came back from 5-0 down in the first set to win her fourth career title with a 7-6 6-3 victory over the US Open  champion at Sydney Olympic Park.       

"She's definitely a player who has every quality to win a grand slam," Clijsters said of the 28-year-old world number 11.                                           

"What I've noticed when I've played big matches against  her... I think she was never really the same player than she  would be in the beginning of the tournament.             

"So maybe mentally she still gets a little bit nervous in those kind of situations... But she's definitely a player that can beat any top player out there when she's playing her best."

Li reached her first grand slam semi-final at Melbourne Park last year and was the first Chinese player to reach the top  10 in the world rankings.                                            

The victory over the three-times grand slam champion in Friday's final could be a springboard to another good Australian Open, Li said.

"After today maybe I should think I could do even better than before," she said.  

"I mean, I just won today, and I won the at the beginning  of the year. It means I have a good energy right now. I hope,  but you never know."     

Seeded ninth, Li will face Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden in the first round of the Australian Open, which begins on Monday.