Azarenka clinches Cincinnati title
Belarusian beats world number one Serena in epic final.
Azarenka acknowledged that her two-and-a-half hour battle against Serena in the final was tough but was elated to have come out of it as the winner. PHOTO: AFP
CINCINNATI:
Victoria Azarenka toppled world number one Serena Williams 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) to claim the Cincinnati WTA title and establish herself as a contender for the US Open.
The epic battle featured multiple momentum shifts after Azarenka, the second seed from Belarus, began the afternoon with two double faults to lose the opening set in under 30 minutes.
She managed to steady herself and held on to beat the top-seeded Serena for only the third time in 15 matches. It was her second victory over the American this year, after a triumph in the final at Doha.
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” said Azarenka, who earned her 17th career title and first in Cincinnati. “It was a tough match and we both fought really hard. It was an incredible week for me.
“I’m feeling very good. Obviously, it’s a big win. It was a great match. I’m really, really pleased with the way I pulled it out. It was a great battle.”
Serena had been trying for two major hardcourt titles in a row after winning Montreal last weekend.
“She played really aggressive in the last two sets, which really changed the momentum,” said Serena. “She’s a great player. There’s a reason why she’s winning Grand Slams and doing so well.”
Cincinnati title lifts Nadal to number two
Rafael Nadal won the Cincinnati Masters for the first time on Sunday, his ninth title of 2013 lifting him to number two in the world and stamping him a US Open favourite.
The fourth-seeded Spaniard beat unseeded American John Isner 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (7/3) to add the Cincinnati crown to the Montreal Masters title he won a week before, his first ever back-to-back hardcourt trophies.
Nadal said that winning back-to-back Masters 1000 titles was uniquely demanding.
“We play from the first round against the best players in the world, the top 50 players,” said Nadal. “In other tournaments, you can have good draws, here you cannot.
“Winning back-to-back tournaments is difficult because the courts are not exactly the same, the weather conditions are not exactly the same.
“You test your body and your tennis to the limit. You need to be 100% focused during the two weeks and playing every day.”
However, Nadal was not ready to say his two wins in as many weeks was a sign of things to come at the US Open, the last Grand Slam of the season that starts a week from today on the hardcourts of Flushing Meadows.
“The only thing this means is I’m playing well and hopefully I can continue playing well in the US Open in a week,” said Nadal, who is unbeaten on hardcourts in 2013 having also lifted the title at Indian Wells in March.
“That’s my goal. I’m going to rest for two days. I’m going to practice on Wednesday [tomorrow] for the first time in New York, and I’m going to work hard during the first few days to be ready for that.”
Published in The Express Tribune, August 20th, 2013.
Victoria Azarenka toppled world number one Serena Williams 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) to claim the Cincinnati WTA title and establish herself as a contender for the US Open.
The epic battle featured multiple momentum shifts after Azarenka, the second seed from Belarus, began the afternoon with two double faults to lose the opening set in under 30 minutes.
She managed to steady herself and held on to beat the top-seeded Serena for only the third time in 15 matches. It was her second victory over the American this year, after a triumph in the final at Doha.
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” said Azarenka, who earned her 17th career title and first in Cincinnati. “It was a tough match and we both fought really hard. It was an incredible week for me.
“I’m feeling very good. Obviously, it’s a big win. It was a great match. I’m really, really pleased with the way I pulled it out. It was a great battle.”
Serena had been trying for two major hardcourt titles in a row after winning Montreal last weekend.
“She played really aggressive in the last two sets, which really changed the momentum,” said Serena. “She’s a great player. There’s a reason why she’s winning Grand Slams and doing so well.”
Cincinnati title lifts Nadal to number two
Rafael Nadal won the Cincinnati Masters for the first time on Sunday, his ninth title of 2013 lifting him to number two in the world and stamping him a US Open favourite.
The fourth-seeded Spaniard beat unseeded American John Isner 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (7/3) to add the Cincinnati crown to the Montreal Masters title he won a week before, his first ever back-to-back hardcourt trophies.
Nadal said that winning back-to-back Masters 1000 titles was uniquely demanding.
“We play from the first round against the best players in the world, the top 50 players,” said Nadal. “In other tournaments, you can have good draws, here you cannot.
“Winning back-to-back tournaments is difficult because the courts are not exactly the same, the weather conditions are not exactly the same.
“You test your body and your tennis to the limit. You need to be 100% focused during the two weeks and playing every day.”
However, Nadal was not ready to say his two wins in as many weeks was a sign of things to come at the US Open, the last Grand Slam of the season that starts a week from today on the hardcourts of Flushing Meadows.
“The only thing this means is I’m playing well and hopefully I can continue playing well in the US Open in a week,” said Nadal, who is unbeaten on hardcourts in 2013 having also lifted the title at Indian Wells in March.
“That’s my goal. I’m going to rest for two days. I’m going to practice on Wednesday [tomorrow] for the first time in New York, and I’m going to work hard during the first few days to be ready for that.”
Published in The Express Tribune, August 20th, 2013.