For once, Clijsters cast as the villain in Li's fairytale run

Kim Clijsters will find herself cast in the role of villain for one of the few times in her career as she bids to prevent Li Na's Australian Open fairytale from having the perfect ending.

Universally liked by fellow players and adored by Australian sports fans, the Belgian world No 3 would normally expect to go into Saturday's final with the crowd firmly behind her.

But China's Li has won thousands of hearts of minds on her way to the decider with a combination of her tenacious play on the court and her disarmingly frank and humorous interviews off it.