Carlsbad
Double grand slam winner Victoria Azarenka will return to No. 2 after she beating Ana Ivanovic 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 for reach the final. The semi-final win by the two-time Australian Open champion sends injured Maria Sharapova back to third trailing in the wake of Serena Williams and Azarenka, who is playing this week for the first time since Wimbledon after injuring her ankle in a first-round tumble and subsequent pullout from her next match.
Azarenka will bid for her third trophy of the season when she plays fifth seed and fellow grand slam champion Samantha Stosur, who defeated France’s Virginie Razzano 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 for her first final since October. Azarenka leads the series with the Australian, leading 8-0.
Azarenka won after two hours against Ivanovic. “It’s never going to be just easy matches,” said the Belarus winner “You must to go through the tough battles. This was one of the days and I’m happy with the end result. I found a way to win and that was most important.” Azarenka’s 31 unforced errors outnumbered her 10 winners while former No. 1 Ivanivoc struck almost 50 unforced errors.
Azarenka won her 28th straight outdoor match, a run which also includes three injury withdrawals at Brisbane and Indian Wells this season and Tokyo last autumn.
Washington DC
Andrea Petkovic moved within a win of solidifying her comeback form a January knee injury as she beat fourth seed Alizé Cornet of France 7-5, 6-3 for a place in the final against Slovak holder Magdalena Rybarikova, a winner of Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova 6-2, 6-0 as she swept the last 10 games. On a day of rain in the capital, the Petkovic match did not get on until late, but the German winner made up for lost time by taking the win in a match which began after midnight and lasted until 2:10.
“It wasn’t easy with the rain delay and playing so late, but I’m happy I was able to win tonight,” Rybarikova said. “I had some amazing matches here last year, winning the title without even losing a set; the first three matches this year were much, much tougher, but I played a very good match from my side tonight and I’m happy I was able to win in straight sets again.
It’s a great result for me.” Petkovic was just glad to end her contest. “Considering the circumstances I think we were playing fine. We were both a little off-rhythm on the serve because we hadn’t played under the lights here yet. I was struggling there. But apart from that and a little bit of a slow start, I was moving well and hitting the ball okay. Given everything today, I think I was playing fine.”
RANKINGS
Estimated WTA Rankings As of July 28, 2013
Rank &
Prior
Rank….Name…………..Points
1..(1) SWilliams ……… 11705
2..(2) Sharapova ……… 9235
3..(3) Azarenka ………..8825
4..(4) ARADWANSKA ………6045*
5..(5) Li ……………..5555
6..(6) Errani ………….5100
7..(7) Kvitova ……….. 4435
8..(8) Bartoli ……….. 4365
9..(9) Kerber ………….3970
10.(10) Wozniacki ……… 3660
11.(11) Vinci …………. 3220
12.(12) Kirilenko ……… 2976
13.(13) STOSUR ………….2965
14.(14) Flipkens ………..2886
15.(15) Stephens ………..2870
16.(16) Jankovic ………..2865
17.(17) Ivanovic ………..2740
18.(18) Lisicki ……….. 2650
19.(19) Suarez Navarro …..2430
20.(20) Petrova ……….. 2306
21.(25) CIBULKOVA ……… 2095*
22.(21) Vesnina ……….. 1889
23.(22) Halep …………. 1885
24.(29) HAMPTON ……….. 1826*
25.(23) Pavlyuchenkova …..1795
26.(24) Kanepi ………….1781
27.(26) Makarova ………..1742
28.(32) CIRSTEA ……….. 1700
29.(27) Kuznetsova ………1657
30.(28) Safarova ………..1655
DRAWS
Carlsbad — Week of July 29
1 Azarenka
–bye
Pennetta
Schiavone
U Radwanska
Qualifier
Burdette
6 Jankovic
4 Vinci
–bye
Puig
Mattek-Sands
Qualifier
Kiick (WC)
Cibulkova
7 Ivanovic
8 Suarez Navarro
Qualifier
Kuznetsova
Razzano (WC)
Robson
Morita
–bye
3 Kvitova
5 Stosur (WC)
Lepchenko
Goerges
Qualifier
Hantuchova
Paszek
–bye
2 A Radwanska
Washington — Week of July 29
1 Kerber (WC)
Qualifier
Oudin
An. Rodionova
Cepelova
Bertens
McHale
7 Rybarikova
3 Makarova
Bouchard
Garcia
Tatishvili
Townsend (WC)
Niculescu
Qualifier
8 Keys
5 Cirstea
Tsurenko
King
Riske
Qualifier
Watson
Wickmayer
4 Cornet
6 Barthel
Voegele
Qualifier
Petkovic
Ormaechea
Capra (WC)
Puchkova
2 Stephens
SUNDAY
Carlsbad
Singles – Semifinals
(1) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. (7) Ana Ivanovic (SRB) 60 46 63
(5/WC) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. (WC) Virginie Razzano (FRA) 76(2) 63
Doubles – Semifinals
(3) Kops-Jones/Spears (USA/USA) d. Black/Erakovic (ZIM/NZL) 75 61
Chan/Husarova (TPE/SVK) d. (4) Jankovic/Srebotnik (SRB/SLO) 63 62
Washington DC
Singles – Semifinals
(7) Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) d. (3) Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) 62 60
Andrea Petkovic (GER) d. (4) Alizé Cornet (FRA) 75 63
Doubles – Final
(1) Aoyama/Dushevina (JPN/RUS) d. Bouchard/Townsend (CAN/USA) 63 63