RICHARD EVANS COVERING LADIES TENNIS RESULTS IN DOHA. AZARENKA INTO FINAL FROM RICHARD EVANS, QATAR

It was the best match of the tournament and it was a first for Victoria Azarenka. After four defeats out of four, Vika finally found a way to beat Venus Williams which she did in storming fashion after a disastrous start, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.

It swept the Belarussian into the final of the Qatar Total Open –her first WTA final since Brisbane thirteen months ago following an injury-plagued 2014.

To her enormous credit, Azarenka knew she had to do something drastic after the first set – and she did it. “She literally went for broke,” said Venus afterwards. “I guess she felt she had to do that to stay in the match.”

Correct. “Yeah, I had to,” said Vika. “Otherwise it was going to be a very one way street. Venus is the kind of player who is not going to give anything. You got to fight hard and try to come up with solutions.”

The solution was to switch on the turbo-charger and play what must be one of the most aggressive matches of her life. She not only hit harder off the ground but frequently charged the net, gaining points by forcing errors or even putting away a few good volleys.

“I think my net game is becoming stronger and stronger,” said Vika. “That’s something I want to apply more and more in my game. I believe that’s what’s been helping me this year.”

Most impressively, perhaps, was the way in which Azarenka kept herself together when Venus broke back at 2-5 in the third and then held easily to close the gap.

“I don’t think I was nervous then,” Vika said in answer to my question. “You know, in the match you go through so many emotions that sometimes it’s difficult to understand what it is exactly; if it’s nerves or if you get tired or get loose. It’s a whole roller coaster. But I feel she really stepped it up then and I just wanted to keep my focus, my composure, and just try to regain that aggressiveness because it was a kind of toe-to-toe game.”

It was certainly that – and had been for much of the match. Venus was hugely impressive early on, pounding winners off that devastating forehand and even playing better in the second set than the 6-2 score suggests. The fact that she made such a brave effort to get back into the third says it all about his amazing competitor.

Venus was sanguine about her defeat afterwards. “Sometimes you just say ‘too good’. I felt like every player I played (this week) just played literally at the top of their game. Just one of those weeks where everyone played amazing and so I’m hoping that in the next coming weeks it won’t be like that!”

Venus confirmed that her next tournament will be Miami which means she will not be joining her sister on Serena’s much publicized return to the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. “I’m looking forward to taking a break; I’ve been on the road a long time,” said the player who won the title at the Auckland Open the week before the Australian Open.

Azarenka will be playing Lucie Safarova in the final on Saturday after the 28-year-old Czech left hander, who seems to be playing the best tennis of a long career, blasted her way past Carla Suarez Navarro in straight sets. Safarova, who won the Australian Open doubles with Bethanie Mattek-Sands last month, has not appeared in a WTA final since winning Quebec City in 2013.

 

Footnote: Soccer star David Beckham is in Qatar and came to the match. I tweeted to the effect that his presence was good for the women’s game in this part of the world especially where men may find it difficult to be persuaded that women’s tennis is worth watching. The thought brought the inevitable aghast reaction from those who objected to the idea that women’s sport needed any help from mere men but Azarenka seemed to support my opinion when I asked her about it in press conference.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Well I don’t know what’s not to love about him, to be honest,” she smiled. “I appreciate somebody from another sport, such a top class athlete, being here and supporting our game. I think it’s important for tennis, not just women’s tennis, to feel that support from other athletes. Like we go to football games, basketball games. It’s kind of a return favor if you can call it that. I appreciate it. I think it makes it more entertaining. Haters will hate. Just let them do it.”

Topics: David Beckham, Doha, Qatar, Richard Evans, Tennis, Venus Williams, Vika Azarenka, Wta

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