With her round-robin victory in the Red Group, Azarenka only needs to win one more match to secure the year-end top spot.
“It was definitely a great fight,” said Azarenka. “I wanted to change the momentum and take destiny into my own hands. I had a clear mind of what I had to do. “I feel really proud I was a part of this match. You feel like you don’t want to leave the court, the atmosphere is so good.”
In another tight contest, world number two Maria Sharapova fought hard to overcome Agnieszka Radwanska 5-7, 7-5, 7-5.
“Today was an example of not playing my best tennis at all, fighting through it, hanging in there, and getting it done,” she said. “She makes it hard for you but I found a way to get through. I fought and I won, so I’m happy.”
Federer downs Belucci; Aisam and Rojer out of Swiss Indoors
Roger Federer was put to the test at his home Swiss Indoors but conjured up a 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 7-5 defeat of Thomaz Bellucci to advance to the quarter-finals.
Federer has now won 31 of his last 32 matches here, with his only loss coming against Novak Djokovic in the 2009 final.
“It was a tough match but a very enjoyable one,” said 17-time grand slam champion Federer, seeking his 77th title. “Thomaz played really well, I had to work for this one.”
Meanwhile in the doubles match of the Swiss indoors, Pakistan’s Aisamul Haq Qureshi and his Dutch partner Jean-Julien Rojer crashed out of the first round with a 4-6, 7-6, 6-10 defeat at the hands of Italian Daniele Bracciali and Czech Frantisek Cermak.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 26th, 2012.
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