French Open - Women's First Round
3 Victoria Azarenka d Elena Vesnina - 61 64
Vika handled her former doubles partner in about an hour and 15.
Last year she suffered a tough 4th round loss to Cibulkova.
And prior to that she's been to the Qf's twice.
She's drawn Li Na in the Qf's and is in Maria's half of proceedings.
Yikes: She's got some serious popcorn matches coming up.
WTA Rome - Women's Final
1 Serena Williams d 3 Victoria Azarenka - 61 63
Seriously. Over 30 and playing the best tennis of her career.
Proof: Serena is riding her longest win streak at 24 matches.
She twice enjoyed a 21-match streak during her Serena Slam year.
She has won 4 tournaments on-a-row and her 6th on the season.
Something tells me nobody will stop her from winning her next 7 matches.
You know... at the French Open.
Repeats? The last time Serena won at Rome she also won at the French.
Post match: Last year I was feeling excellent on clay but didn't do that
great at Roland Garros- this year I'm cautious and I want to work hard and
stay focused and win every point I play, and not slack at all.
***
Oh girl, they should just put you in the trophy ceremony already.
Rome WTA - Women's Quarterfinal
3 Victoria Azarenka d 9 Samantha Stosur - 64 16 63
This is Vika's 2nd trip to the Sf's at Rome: 0-1.
Remember: Vika is still on the comeback trail after an ankle injury.
Post match: It's all a process - I'm just trying to improve day to day,
and I feel it's happening. I will probably never be truly satisfied,
but I'm on a good road. Winning matches is very important,
because it gives you opportunities to play more matches.
That's really what I'm looking for right now.
Vika is still suffering pain in the ankle that took her out of Indian Wells.
But since that Qf pull she has posted a few fun photos.
There she is giving us tongue at the Miami players party a few days ago.
And shopping in LA in between Indian Wells and Miami.
Get well momma - the meat of the season approaches.
Ok, there are 3 other people in this pic besides Serena Williams!
The two exhibition matches went as follows:
Juan Martin Del Potro d Rafael Nadal - 76(4) 64
Serena Williams d Victoria Azarenka - 64 63
Now get your butts to Indian Wells. Oh wait, not you Serena.
WTA Doha Women's Final
1 Victoria Azarenka d 2 Serena Williams - 76(6) 26 63
But in the loss Vika hands the #1 ranking over to Serena.
After losing the last 9 matches they've played Vika scores her 2nd win.
This is her 2nd title on the season following her defense at the Auusie.
In fact, this was her 2nd repeat title from last season.
Remember she went on a 4 tournament tear in 2012.
Without Serena at Indian Wells a third repeat title may be in the offing.
Vika post match: I just wanted to fight and give myself every opportunity
to get back. I told myself, 'You have to keep it together,
you have to do something otherwise Serena's on a roll and
she's going to bring her A game.' I had to really step up my game and
I'm glad that I could turn it around, stay tough and focused.
This season just got good!
Novak Djokovic - Men's Champion
*****
Victoria Azarenka - Women's Champion
*****
The Bryan Brothers - Men's Doubles Champions
*****
Sara Errani & Roberta Vinci - Women's Doubles Champions
*****
Jarmila Gajdosova & Matthew Ebden - Mixed Doubles Champions
Australian Open - Women's Final
1 Victoria Azarenka d 6 Li Na - 46 64 63
I don't think I have ever seen a match with a player that unpopular.
I mean, crickets could be heard on some of Vika's winners.
Who knew that that injury timeout during the Sf's was gonna be so deadly.
That and Li Na is just that much loved Down Under.
Vika won her 2nd Slam title which was also her 2nd Aussie title.
The defending champ needed to win to keep her #1 ranking.
Tho it seems only a matter of very little time until Serena grabs it.
Post match: It's been a wonderful two weeks for me.
I will always keep a very special memory of this court -
it will always be in my heart. And also congratulations to Li Na -
it has been a great start of the year for you -
best of luck and I hope to see you in many more finals.
And the last thing I wanted to say is Happy Australia Day everybody!
Seems they'd have been happier with a different champion.
Ha, take that Happy Slam.
Australian Open - Women's Semifinal
1 Victoria Azarenka d 29 Sloane Stephens - 61 64
The defending champ is thru to her 2nd straight Aussie Open final.
This is also her 2nd straight Slam final: she lost to Serena at the USO.
She will win many Slams but she'll have a tough one against Li Na.
Vika has a 5-4 lead and has won the last 4.
But this is a newly dedicated Li Na so it should be a great match.
Post match: I'm really hungry to defend my title, that was my first goal -
actually, not to defend, it was to win the tournament.
I've put myself in the position to give it the best shot there is,
being in the final.
She talks funny. Winning the tournie IS defending. Stop tripping.
Australian Open - Women's Semifinal
6 Li Na d 2 Maria Sharapova - 62 62
Amazing. I so wouldn't mind if she won her 2nd Slam this weekend.
I mean, it's really hard NOT to just love this woman.
And I think mama will be ready:
What should I worry about? I worked so hard in winter training,
and now everything is coming back to me. I'll come to the court,
take the racquet and enjoy the tennis.
She takes a 4-5 H2H deficit into the final with Vika.
And she already raised a trophy this season at Shenzhen.
Vika must be favored - but I'm having a feeling otherwise...
Australian Open - Women's Quarterfinal
1 Victoria Azarenka d Svetlana Kuznetsova - 75 61
Honey, why are you continnuing to unleash Redfoo on us?
It reminds me of the 80's with Cyndi Lauper's Rock n Wrestling.
Which was also a big ol' ugh.
I'm sure he's nice and all... But a clown in your box?
Oh yea, back to tennis.
Vika has a surprise waiting for her in the Sf's: not Serena!
It would be silly to say I'm not excited, I'm not nervous.
I think the person who is never nervous is a really scary person.
I mean, that person is a robot, really.
Huh?
And the trophies have gloved handlers. So super annoying.
***
Women's champ Vika has never defended a title before. Anywhere.
And Serena is seeded to meet her in the Sf's. Mmmmmm.
Sorry Vika but Serena is my pick to collect her 6th Aussie Open title.
***
As for Nole - he's going for a hat-trick and a 4th over-all Down Under.
He's won 3 in-a-row once before: Dubai '09-'11.
And I'm predicting he'll do it again in Melbourne 2 week from now.
US Open - Women's Quarterfinal
1 Victoria Azarenka d 7 Samantha Stosur - 61 46 76(5)
With the win Vika is guaranteed to retain her #1 ranking on Monday.
After the 1st set blowout this became a highly entertaining match.
The shot-making was of the highest caliber - pity either had to lose.
Afterward Vika expressed her thoughts on her Twitter account:
What a great match today! Fight and battle is what we live for…
Really happy to be competing… Thank u for all the support #NYC love it.
Olympics - Women's First Round
1 Victoria Azarenka d Irina-Camelia Bego - 61 36 61
Methinks it's a bit too soon for a hiccup.
But she explained things is her post match presser:
It was a long wait for me. I had to play yesterday but it got cancelled.
Your first match on Centre Court, there are always nerves and today...
I couldn't get into the match in the second set.
There were too many mistakes, but I'm glad I could turn things around and...
Finish as strong as I started.
Wimbledon - Women's Semifinals
3 Agnieszka Radwanska d 8 Angelique Kerber - 63 64
6 Serena Williams d 2 Victoria Azarenka - 63 76(3)
Final Preview
3 Agnieszka Radwanska vs 6 Serena Williams - H2H: 2-0/Serena
***
Big congrats to Aga for winning her 1st Slam Sf and gaining her 1st final.
#1 on the line: If she wins she will also find herself at the top of the pile.
But that is a very BIG 'if' as she faces 4-time champ Serena Williams.
Not only is Serena going for her 5th Wimby but also her 14th Slam.
Their 2 previous matches were both in '08 and both straight sets.
But this is a different Aga - she is a human backboard.
Serena will need to be prepared to see a ton of balls come back.
But in the end expect Serena's serve and power to prevail.
She'll hoist the Venus Rosewater Dish for a Venus Williams tying 5th time.
Photos: Getty Images
Roland Garros - Women's Fourth Round
15 Dominika Cibulkova d 1 Victoria Azarenka - 62 76(4)
Like today Domi had a massive lead on Vika in Miami...
The difference? Today she didn't lose and closed the match out.
As Vika was clawing back Domi confessed to flashing back to that match.
Remember: Domi was a Sf-ist here 2009 so she's in familiar territory.
In all this will be her 4th Slam Qf: 1-2.
She will play the winner of Stosur/Sloane. Wager a guess who she's for?
Well done, Domi.
***
An annoyed Vika in the post-match presser:
I'm gonna kill myself... I'm just gonna go practice.
Photo: FFT
Roland Garros - Women's First Round
1 Victoria Azarenka d Alberta Brianti - 67(6) 64 62
Opening round jitters? Well she dug deep to fend off a huge upset.
Post match: Before maybe I would just give up and go home.
I was kind of thinking there was a flight straight to Minsk...
Around 3 o'clock tomorrow, so I could catch that.
But I didn't want to leave too soon.
We're glad you're sticking around.
Photo: At practice with sometime coach Amelie Mauresmo.
WTA Stuttgart - Final
2 Maria Sharapova d 1 Victoria Azarenka - 61 64
Hey, she got a new car. And a new bruise after that shoulder bump.
She wins her first title since Cincy last August.
She's had 3 tough final round losses this year: Aussie Open, IW & Miami.
Maria beat 3 of the 4 reigning Slam champs this week: Vika, Petra & Sam.
Well done.
***
ATP 250 Bucharest - Final
1 Gilles Simon d Fabio Fognini - 64 63
Gilles enters double-digits in titles with 10 - his first of the season.
This is also the 3rd time he's hoisted the trophy in Bucharest.
The win probably won't be enough to bump him up from #12.
Allez: But with little to defend in Madrid/Rome - 'up' could be in the offing.
***
WTA Fes - Final
Q Kiki Bertens d Laura Pous-To - 75 60
Never heard of either of these girls AND I'm a tennis junkie.
Loving her name tho - Kiki. Awesome.
***
Photos: Maria: Reuters; Gilles: Getty Images
Maria Sharapova Thru to French Open Final
French Open - Women's Semifinal
2 Maria Sharapova d 3 Victoria Azarenka - 61 26 64
The defending champion is into her 2nd (straight) French Open final.
This is also her 8th Slam final: 4-3.
And she'll be facing Serena who really does nothing but kick her butt.
Post match: I had a tremendous year last year. Obviously to come back
as defending champion, it's extremely special to get back on that stage
where it comes down to the last two players of the tournament. It's
certainly a nice feeling. I hope I can bring my best tennis for the last one.
Posted at 03:18 PM in Commentary, French Open, Grand Slam Tennis, Maria Sharapova, Roland Garros, Scores, Victoria Azarenka, Womens Tennis | Permalink | Comments (0)
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