INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Top-seeded Li Na beat Chinese countrywoman Zheng Jie 6-1, 7-5 on Saturday in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Li is playing her second event since winning the Australian Open.
"This is the first match after Doha, two weeks, and of course for I cannot be 100 percent for the first match," Li said. "But I was happy. At least I can learn something from today's match."
Li will face Karolina Pliskova, a 7-5, 6-2 winner over No. 28 Klara Zakopalova.
Fourth-seeded Maria Sharapova opened her title defense with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Julia Goerges.
Eighth-seeded Petra Kvitova, No. 11 Ana Ivanovic and No. 12 Dominika Cibulkova also won early matches.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.