Defending French open champion Li Na reaches fourth round

China's Li Na serves in her third round match against Christine McHale of the U.S at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris on Saturday.

Defending champion Li Na needed three sets to reach the fourth round of the French Open on Saturday.

The seventh-seeded Li, who last year became the first Chinese player to win a Grand Slam singles title, held on to beat Christina McHale of the United States 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.

Li committed 44 unforced errors in the match, 20 more than her unseeded opponent.

The last woman to successfully defend her title at Roland Garros was Justine Henin, who won three straight from 2005-07.