China’s Li Na has ended the winning streak of Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open.

Li, a finalist in 2011, took 1 hour 42 minutes to defeat the Pole 7-5 6-3.

She faces the winner of the quarter-final between Russians Maria Sharapova, the second seed and former champion, and Ekaterina Makarova.

Radwanska went into the clash on the back of a run of 13 consecutive match wins, taking out titles in Auckland and Sydney.

The 66-minute first set was littered with seven service breaks and finally sealed by Li despite her messy list of 29 unforced errors.

Li raced to a 5-2 lead in the second set with two service breaks in a row before serving out the match.

The 30-year-old Chinese star credited coach Carlos Rodriguez, who she took on last August, with helping her put in the work necessary to still challenge the top players.

“He was very tough with training in the winter – it was unbelievable,” Li said.

“I said to him ‘do you know how old I am?’. He was thinking I was 20 years old.”

Radwanska said she felt she had been too slow on the court but Li had played solidly throughout the match.

“Some of the games she didn’t let me do anything – very deep balls all the time, good serve, she was really playing good tennis today.

“I think she’s a very consistent player. She’s always playing on the same level. It’s not up and down like the other girls. She’s always playing solid tennis.

“Of course, I had my chances but, when you’re not really taking them, it’s really turning around and it goes away.”

Radwanska and Li had met nine times previously with the Chinese player leading their head-to-head clashes 5-4.

Li had won three in succession until Radwanska toppled her in the semi-finals of the Sydney event in straight sets, on her way to the championship.