Li Na heads into next week's Australian Open as China's big hope and has been given a ringing endorsement by her Sydney conqueror Kim Clijsters.

The Belgian world No 5 was taken to three sets in their semifinal before dousing the 21-ranked Li, 6-1, 1-6, 7-5 in 95 minutes in sweltering on-court temperatures yesterday.

Li Na of China(R)congratulates Clijsters after losing to Belgian world No.5 Clijsters.[China Daily]

Clijsters said 24-year-old Li had provided her toughest match of the tournament so far and praised her development as a player.

"She's definitely become a lot more consistent," Clijsters said.

"The last few times I played her I felt like she was a good player and she could really show some really good things, but she was never quite consistent enough to make it hard for the top players.

"Something I think she has changed a lot is that she does good things when she has to do it, whereas in the past when it was getting close she would make a few easier mistakes than what she did now.

"I think you get that by experience, by playing bigger matches, and it's great to see. To me she's the best Chinese girl out there.

"She's a very powerful girl and moves well, has a good serve, and she's a good player. She's really improved a lot."

Li became the first Chinese player to reach the quarter-finals of a grand slam when she was beaten by Clijsters at Wimbledon last year after upsetting seeded players Svetlana Kuznetsova and Nicole Vaidisova on the way.

Li led Clijsters 5-2 and held set point before the Belgian stormed home to victory 6-4, 7-5.

She is at the vanguard of a four-prong Chinese women's challenge in Melbourne next week and is keen to make up for her first-round loss to seven-times Grand Slam champion Serena Williams at last year's Australian Open.

"I lost first round last year to Serena Williams. This year I want to try my best because this year I am a seed, so maybe first round, second round is a little bit easier, but I'm not sure," Li said.

"Everyone is tough, so I'll just try my best."

Li has been working on her groundstrokes ahead of the new season and troubled Clijsters by controlling the points for large parts of the final set.

"I will try to come to the net. I'll try this year, but it feels OK because I tried the first match, and second match, third match, for me feels okay. I need work on that," she said.

Li said Chinese women's tennis was on the crest of a wave ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"I mean, now is much better than a long time ago because now in China they have a lot of good players, more young players coming," she said.

"This year four young girls are coming to the Australian Open.

"I'm leaving tomorrow for Melbourne, so maybe I'll have tomorrow off and after then I try a little bit because maybe I'll play Monday in Melbourne, so only one day off."