Tennis: Azarenka to defend title at Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS: Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka arrived for her title defence at Indian Wells seeking another victory to take her closer to regaining the world number one ranking.

A title repeat on the hard courts of the California desert will not send Azarenka back to the top of the heap, but it could set the stage for a showdown with current number one Serena Williams later in March in Miami.

Once again, Williams and her sister Venus are skipping the BNP Paribas Open, where other notable absentees include China’s Li Na. World number five Li is still battling the nagging effects of the left ankle injury she suffered in losing the Australian Open final to Azarenka. Women’s main draw play in the combined WTA and ATP Masters tournament began yesterday, although the top 32 seeds all enjoy first-round byes.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 7^th, 2013.