Tennis: Serena edges closer to top spot

Willaim is no longer interested in number one race.

DOHA: Serena Williams needs only one more win to become world number one for the first time in two-and-a-half years after reaching the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open in double quick time on Thursday.

It took the 15-time Grand Slam title winner less than an hour to complete a 6-0, 6-3 win over Urszula Radwanska, the world number 37 from Poland, and to take herself to the brink of another remarkable achievement.

“Not really”, said Williams, when asked if she were thinking about becoming number one again. “I am so over it. It’s like everyone is thinking about it. I have a really tough opponent (Petra Kvitova). It is what it is.”

Meanwhile, Victoria Azarenka demolished American Christina McHale 6-0, 6-0 in just over an hour and Russian third-seed Maria Sharapova overpowered Czech Klara Zakopalova 6-3, 6-3.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2013.