(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Williams underlined her favourite status for the Australian Open as she defended her Brisbane title with a hard fought 64 75 victory over (2/2) Azarenka as I predicted. It was her 58th career title, her 22nd successive match win and her 14th in 17 meetings with Azarenka, whose 24 match win streak in Australia was broken (her first loss since the Australian Open 2011!)
1st Set
Both players were even in holding through the first six games, with Williams looking to be particularly aggressive on return as she took the ball early. Two double faults in the seventh game (she would hit 6 during the entire match) proved costly as Azarenka relinquished the only break of the first set. Williams was always dominant, hitting 14 winners (Azarenka hit merely 3) to 12 unforced errors.
2nd Set
Though Williams looked indomitable as she established a 2-0 lead due to some potent serving (3 aces in 4 points), Azarenka quickly countered with some fine play to take four successive games to lead 4-2. However, Williams broke back immediately with a screaming backhand winner as Azarenka looked on. The last few games were hotly contested, featuring many intense (and loud) baseline rallies as Azarenka tried to negate Williams's greater power. However, she couldn't prevent the inevitable as Williams broke again and served out the match emphatically, hitting her 10th and 11th aces to open the game.
Elsewhere, (3/1) Li claimed her 8th career title in defending Shenzhen over compatriot Peng, also by a 64 75 score line. Li had beaten Peng in 3 of their previous 4 meetings but was severely tested as she initially led 64 4-1 before Peng won 4 successive games to lead 5-4. However, Li then won three long games in a row to defend a title for the first time in her career and maintain her perfect record against Peng on Chinese soil, 3-0.
5/- Radwanska finished her Hopman Cup campaign with a hard fought 63 67(7) 62 victory over France's, Cornet to maintain her perfect 4-0 record in singles through the competition. Sadly for her, France defeated Poland 2-1 as Panfil lost to Tsonga and as a team in the mixed doubles, the Poles were crushed.
Saturday, 4 January 2014
Friday, 3 January 2014
Serena too strong for Sharapova, Azarenka next
The world's best players produced some impressive displays in various semi finals.
(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Williams impressively handled (4/3) Sharapova 62 76(7) to reach a second successive Brisbane final. The match was of the finest quality and intensity, frequently causing the crowd to gasp in admiration. Williams didn't serve well by her typically godly standards, with a first serve percentage of under 50% and hit 34 unforced errors to only 23 winners. However, she more than made up for that with some fantastic returning and defensive play. Sharapova played very well too, hitting 17 winners to 23 unforced errors. She broke Serena 4 times in all but struggled to back it up, letting a 3-1 lead slip away in the second set and failing to capitalise on two uncharacteristic Williams double faults back to back in the tiebreak. Both players struggled with doubles, though surprisingly Serena hit more; 8 to Maria's 7. This was Serena's 14th successive victory over Maria since she last won in 2004 but Sharapova was just happy to be able to compete at such a high level in her first tournament back.
2/2 Azarenka finally got a grip on her game to edge a tenacious (8/4) Jankovic 16 63 64 to move into her second Brisbane final, after winning here in 2009. Azarenka was atrocious in the first set, hitting 15 unforced errors as she mistimed everything. Jankovic was, in contrast wailing the ball for some surprising winners, particularly from her backhand. The turning point came in the first two games of the second set when Jankovic couldn't convert 6 games points (including 0-40 on Azarenka's serve in the first game). Gradually, Azarenka imposed herself with her smothering power and soon led 5-1 in the third, only to struggle with herself once again through the finish.
So the top 2 players meet again in what has gladly become a frequent occurrence. Williams leads the head to head 13-3 but only 4-3 in finals and the two were tied at 2-2 for 2013. Azarenka has only lost to Serena in hard court finals at the US Open (2012/2013) and these were both three setters. It will be entertaining as ever but Williams is playing much sharper tennis and should win, most likely in straight sets.
Elsewhere...
3/1 Li, who will lose her number 3 ranking to Sharapova next week, moved into her second successive Shenzhen final with a straightforward 61 63 win over German, Beck. She faces Peng next in a dream all Chinese final, whom she leads 3-1 in their head to head.
5/- Radwanska helped Poland reach their first Hopman Cup final with a 36 64 63 win against home favourite (18/-) Stosur, despite her previous 1-3 head to head deficit. Radwanska and Panfil won the mixed doubles and the tie 2-1. They will face France in the final, though (6/-) Kvitova also remained undefeated in singles, receiving a retirement from American, (12/-) Stephens due to a wrist injury after Kvitova had won the first set 63.
(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Williams impressively handled (4/3) Sharapova 62 76(7) to reach a second successive Brisbane final. The match was of the finest quality and intensity, frequently causing the crowd to gasp in admiration. Williams didn't serve well by her typically godly standards, with a first serve percentage of under 50% and hit 34 unforced errors to only 23 winners. However, she more than made up for that with some fantastic returning and defensive play. Sharapova played very well too, hitting 17 winners to 23 unforced errors. She broke Serena 4 times in all but struggled to back it up, letting a 3-1 lead slip away in the second set and failing to capitalise on two uncharacteristic Williams double faults back to back in the tiebreak. Both players struggled with doubles, though surprisingly Serena hit more; 8 to Maria's 7. This was Serena's 14th successive victory over Maria since she last won in 2004 but Sharapova was just happy to be able to compete at such a high level in her first tournament back.
2/2 Azarenka finally got a grip on her game to edge a tenacious (8/4) Jankovic 16 63 64 to move into her second Brisbane final, after winning here in 2009. Azarenka was atrocious in the first set, hitting 15 unforced errors as she mistimed everything. Jankovic was, in contrast wailing the ball for some surprising winners, particularly from her backhand. The turning point came in the first two games of the second set when Jankovic couldn't convert 6 games points (including 0-40 on Azarenka's serve in the first game). Gradually, Azarenka imposed herself with her smothering power and soon led 5-1 in the third, only to struggle with herself once again through the finish.
So the top 2 players meet again in what has gladly become a frequent occurrence. Williams leads the head to head 13-3 but only 4-3 in finals and the two were tied at 2-2 for 2013. Azarenka has only lost to Serena in hard court finals at the US Open (2012/2013) and these were both three setters. It will be entertaining as ever but Williams is playing much sharper tennis and should win, most likely in straight sets.
Elsewhere...
3/1 Li, who will lose her number 3 ranking to Sharapova next week, moved into her second successive Shenzhen final with a straightforward 61 63 win over German, Beck. She faces Peng next in a dream all Chinese final, whom she leads 3-1 in their head to head.
5/- Radwanska helped Poland reach their first Hopman Cup final with a 36 64 63 win against home favourite (18/-) Stosur, despite her previous 1-3 head to head deficit. Radwanska and Panfil won the mixed doubles and the tie 2-1. They will face France in the final, though (6/-) Kvitova also remained undefeated in singles, receiving a retirement from American, (12/-) Stephens due to a wrist injury after Kvitova had won the first set 63.
Thursday, 2 January 2014
Serena serves up a storm!
The top players continue to play well in the first week of the new year.
(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Williams served faultlessly to defeat Slovakian, (23/9) Cibulkova 63 63 to win her 20th straight match and move into the Brisbane semi finals. She didn't drop a point on serve in the first set, despite some early problems on the return. She finished the match with 12 aces and 31 winners, to just 17 unforced errors.
2/2 Azarenka ultimately subdued her very plucky Swiss opponent, Voegele 64 67(7) 61 to move into the Brisbane semi finals for a third time in as many attempts. Amazingly, Stefanie fought off 9 match points (3 down 4-5 and 5 during the tiebreak in the second set) as Azarenka imploded through nerves, often looking on the verge of tears and swearing rather obviously. Still, Voegele finally succumbed to Azarenka's excellently recomposed onslaught.
3/1 Li is still on track in Shenzhen, reaching the semi final after a 75 46 64 win against unorthodox Romanian, Niculescu, enacting revenge for her 64 60 defeat against Monica in their only previous meeting in Beijing 2011.
4/3 Sharapova lost a set for the first time in 3 meetings with Estonian, Kanepi before recovering to win 46 63 62. Maria was sloppy, hitting 33 winners but also 33 unforced errors, whilst her opponent couldn't maintain her high standards from the first set. With Serena up next, things look ominous for the Russian once again (she's lost the last 13 times to Serena since 2004!)
8/4 Jankovic recovered brilliantly to defeat (9/5) Kerber 67(8) 63 61 to move into the Brisbane semi finals. The match was filled with typically tenacious defence and sudden, unlikely winners from both counterpunchers, but in the closing stages it was Jankovic who pulled away, often due to her punishing backhand return. This is further evidence that Jankovic is very confident once again as a top 10 player, considering she won only 3 games in her only previous meeting with the German in Copenhagen 2012. Up next is Azarenka, who she only just recently defeated at the WTA Championships.
(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Williams served faultlessly to defeat Slovakian, (23/9) Cibulkova 63 63 to win her 20th straight match and move into the Brisbane semi finals. She didn't drop a point on serve in the first set, despite some early problems on the return. She finished the match with 12 aces and 31 winners, to just 17 unforced errors.
2/2 Azarenka ultimately subdued her very plucky Swiss opponent, Voegele 64 67(7) 61 to move into the Brisbane semi finals for a third time in as many attempts. Amazingly, Stefanie fought off 9 match points (3 down 4-5 and 5 during the tiebreak in the second set) as Azarenka imploded through nerves, often looking on the verge of tears and swearing rather obviously. Still, Voegele finally succumbed to Azarenka's excellently recomposed onslaught.
3/1 Li is still on track in Shenzhen, reaching the semi final after a 75 46 64 win against unorthodox Romanian, Niculescu, enacting revenge for her 64 60 defeat against Monica in their only previous meeting in Beijing 2011.
4/3 Sharapova lost a set for the first time in 3 meetings with Estonian, Kanepi before recovering to win 46 63 62. Maria was sloppy, hitting 33 winners but also 33 unforced errors, whilst her opponent couldn't maintain her high standards from the first set. With Serena up next, things look ominous for the Russian once again (she's lost the last 13 times to Serena since 2004!)
8/4 Jankovic recovered brilliantly to defeat (9/5) Kerber 67(8) 63 61 to move into the Brisbane semi finals. The match was filled with typically tenacious defence and sudden, unlikely winners from both counterpunchers, but in the closing stages it was Jankovic who pulled away, often due to her punishing backhand return. This is further evidence that Jankovic is very confident once again as a top 10 player, considering she won only 3 games in her only previous meeting with the German in Copenhagen 2012. Up next is Azarenka, who she only just recently defeated at the WTA Championships.
Wednesday, 1 January 2014
Errani edged out, Serena, Azarenka and Li win on return
(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Defending champion in Brisbane, Serena Williams won a 19th successive match, shaking off the rust against German former top tenner Petkovic 64 64. She had received a bye into the second round.
2/2 Azarenka made an eagerly awaited return too, beating Australian, Dellacqua 63 61 after a few close games to begin. Considering she ended 2013 losing 5 of her last 6 matches, it looks as if her 2014 already looks brighter! She also received a bye in Brisbane.
3/1 Li made a cracking start to her Shenzhen title defence, beating comeback former top 2 Russian, Zvonareva 75 63 (her first match since the Olympics 2012!) She then defeated Ukrainian Kichenok 61 64 to reach the quarters.
4/3 Sharapova benefited from a walkover into the Brisbane quarter finals, when Australian, Barty withdrew due to an adductor strain. However, as she's played one match in the last six months or so, I'm sure she's actually ruing the lack of match play!
7/2 Errani had struggled in her first round match at Shenzhen, so it was no surprise the American, (85/-) King got the better of her 26 76(7) 63. Still, it shouldn't have happened had Errani converted one of her two match points up 6-5 and 7-6 in the breaker.
8/4 Jankovic continued to progress easily in Brisbane, reaching the quarters with a crushing win over Ukrainian Svitolina 61 63.
9/5 Kerber benefited from the retirement of Russian, Pavlyuchenkova due to a thigh injury in the second round of Brisbane. Though she was already leading 62 43, it could hardly be considered revenge from her defeat at this event last year in the quarters.
1/1 Defending champion in Brisbane, Serena Williams won a 19th successive match, shaking off the rust against German former top tenner Petkovic 64 64. She had received a bye into the second round.
2/2 Azarenka made an eagerly awaited return too, beating Australian, Dellacqua 63 61 after a few close games to begin. Considering she ended 2013 losing 5 of her last 6 matches, it looks as if her 2014 already looks brighter! She also received a bye in Brisbane.
3/1 Li made a cracking start to her Shenzhen title defence, beating comeback former top 2 Russian, Zvonareva 75 63 (her first match since the Olympics 2012!) She then defeated Ukrainian Kichenok 61 64 to reach the quarters.
4/3 Sharapova benefited from a walkover into the Brisbane quarter finals, when Australian, Barty withdrew due to an adductor strain. However, as she's played one match in the last six months or so, I'm sure she's actually ruing the lack of match play!
7/2 Errani had struggled in her first round match at Shenzhen, so it was no surprise the American, (85/-) King got the better of her 26 76(7) 63. Still, it shouldn't have happened had Errani converted one of her two match points up 6-5 and 7-6 in the breaker.
8/4 Jankovic continued to progress easily in Brisbane, reaching the quarters with a crushing win over Ukrainian Svitolina 61 63.
9/5 Kerber benefited from the retirement of Russian, Pavlyuchenkova due to a thigh injury in the second round of Brisbane. Though she was already leading 62 43, it could hardly be considered revenge from her defeat at this event last year in the quarters.
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