AUSTRALIAN OPEN
Melbourne, Australia
January 16-28, 2012
$12,122,762/Grand Slam
Hard/Outdoors
Singles – Final
(3) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. (4) Maria Sharapova (RUS) 63 60
Doubles – Final
Kuznetsova/Zvonareva (RUS/RUS) d. (11) Errani/Vinci (ITA/ITA) 57 64 63
Mixed Doubles – Final
(8) Mattek-Sands/Tecau (USA/ROU) d. (5) Vesnina/Paes (RUS/IND) 63 57 103 (Match TB)
Final Facts
– Azarenka wins first Grand Slam title and 10th WTA-level title; was second Belarusian ever to play a Grand Slam final (Zvereva was runner-up to Graf at 1988 French Open).
– Azarenka rises from No.3 to No.1 with the title (first player in WTA history to skip over No.2 to get to No.1 for first time); is 21st World No.1 since inception of WTA rankings.
– Azarenka is now 12-0 in 2012 and has won 20 of last 22 matches (losses to Bartoli and Kvitova at WTA Championships).
– Sharapova was in sixth Grand Slam final (now 3-3 in those); has made more finals at Australian Open than any other Grand Slam (three at Australian Open, two at Wimbledon, one at US Open).
– Kuznetsova & Zvonareva win first Grand Slam doubles title together; had each won one with other partners (Kuznetsova at 2005 Australian Open w/Molik, Zvonareva at 2006 US Open w/Dechy).
– Mattek-Sands wins first Grand Slam title of any kind (was first Grand Slam final of any kind).