Marbella (final): Azarenka Wins Title, Breaks Into Top 5

Written by: Staff on 11th April 2011

Marbella (final): Azarenka Wins Title, Breaks Into Top 5 |

Results – Sunday, April 10, 2011
Singles – Final
(1) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. (Q) Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) 63 62

Doubles – Final
(3) Llagostera Vives/Parra Santonja (ESP/ESP) d. (1) Errani/Vinci (ITA/ITA) 36 64 105 (Match TB)

Final Facts
– Azarenka wins her second straight WTA singles title, having won at Miami last weekend, and the seventh of her career. The 21-year-old improves to 7-6 in WTA finals.
– By virtue of winning this event on a ranking of No.6, Azarenka is also set to become the second Belarusian after Natasha Zvereva ever to reach the Top 5 (projected to rise to No.5).
– Nobody has lost fewer games en route to a WTA title so far this year, Azarenka losing only 19 (the previous-lowest was Caroline Wozniacki’s 25 in Dubai).
– Having fallen first round in her only two previous WTA main draws, and playing as a qualifier here in her third, No.138-ranked Begu reached the quarters without losing a set, then pulled off upsets over No.6 seed Klara Zakopalova and No.2 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova.
– Begu, 20, is projected to make her Top 100 debut on the new rankings.
– Nuria Llagostera Vives and Arantxa Parra Santonja win their second title together, the first coming at Barcelona four years ago.
– Llagostera Vives now has 14 WTA doubles titles to her name; Parra Santonja has four.

Final Quotes
Victoria Azarenka, 2011 Andalucía Tennis Experience singles champion:
“It was unusual to go from Miami on hardcourts to here on clay and do so well. I’m more than pleased with the experience. It was important just to keep my mind fresh and do the same things I did in Miami. I used to practice here when I was 14, so coming here brings me back – I love it here.”

Irina-Camelia Begu, 2011 Andalucía Tennis Experience singles runner-up:
“Everybody from home has been calling me and supporting me. It has been a great week. Victoria is playing great tennis. Coming from the qualifying and playing three hours yesterday was a bit tough, but I’m happy with my week. My goal this year was to be Top 100, so now I’m hoping for Top 50!”

Nuria Llagostera Vives, 2011 Andalucía Tennis Experience doubles champion:
“We didn’t start as well as we thought we could, but we started to support each other and play with heart. This is our third time playing together this year and we’re feeling more and more comfortable now. We’re improving a lot in every match.”