Li Na beats top-ranked Victoria Azarenka in Hua Hin exhibition match

In this photo released by BEC Tero, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus returns a shot to Li Na of China during their tennis invitation match in Hua Hin, southern Thailand Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/BEC Tero) EDITORIAL USE ONLY (The Associated Press)

In this photo released by BEC Tero, Li Na of China returns a shot during a tennis invitation match against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in Hua Hin, southern Thailand Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/BEC Tero) EDITORIAL USE ONLY (The Associated Press)

HUA HIN, Thailand – Li Na of China won the annual Hua Hin exhibition event on Saturday by beating top-ranked Victoria Azarenka 6-3, 2-6, 10-7 after a Champions tiebreaker.

The seventh-ranked Li benefited from a slew of unforced errors by Azarenka in the first set and then broke to lead 2-1 in the second. But the defending champion from Belarus won five straight games to level the match before coming up just short in the decider.

Azarenka was accompanied to Thailand by American rapper Redfoo of LMFAO. She will start her WTA season by playing in the Brisbane International next week. She said "I was surprised by the court. It was my first match, I should have practiced a bit more. But Li Na played so well."

Li will next play in the Shenzhen Open in China.