Defeating Serena Williams Gives Azarenka New Confidence

Written by: Staff on 18th February 2013

Defeating Serena Williams Gives Azarenka New Confidence

epa03588913 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus serves the ball to Serena Williams of the USA during their final match of the WTA Qatar Ladies Open tennis tournament at the International Khalifa Tennis Complex in Doha, Qatar, 17 February 2013. EPA/STRINGER |

Victoria Azarenka may have lost the world no.1 ranking she has held for more than a year. But after beating Serena Williams who deposed her to successfully defend the Qatar Total Open, she is confident of reclaiming top spot in a week’s time.

Both Azarenka and Williams are scheduled to contest this week’s Dubai Duty Free Championships. Azarenka needs to reach the final in Dubai to have a chance at returning to the top spot and if Williams again provides the opposition, the Belorussian would need to repeat yesterday’s result in Doha.

After winning Friday’s quarterfinal against Petra Kvitova, Williams was guaranteed of becoming the oldest woman to hold top spot since computerized rankings began in 1975.

But Azarenka is confident of making Williams’ sixth stay at the top of the rankings a short one. After ending a run of nine consecutive defeats against Williams with a 7-6, 2-6, 6-3 win that earned her $US426,000, Azarenka said: “I just wanted to fight and give myself every opportunity to get back.

“I told myself, ‘You have to keep it together, you have to do something otherwise Serena’s on a roll and she’s going to bring her A game. I had to really step up my game and I’m glad that I could turn it around, stay tough and focused.”

Williams meanwhile didn’t let defeat taint her delight at displacing Chris Evert by six months as the oldest no.1. “I can’t say that I’m depressed like I am whenever I lose,” she said.

“I’m definitely not happy, but I’m number one. It was such a long journey, and after winning Wimbledon and the US Open and the (season-ending) Championships, I thought, ‘I just don’t think I can win anymore. I don’t know what it takes to be number one.’

“So it was awesome to come here and achieve that goal.”

Two days earlier, after securing the all important win against Kvitova, an emotional Serena referred to the episode in the aftermath of bizarrely cutting her foot in a Munich restaurant following her Wimbledon triumph in 2010. Soon after she suffered blood clots in her lungs and needed to inject herself with a blood thinner. They in turn led to a pool of blood gathering under her stomach’s skin, requiring another hospital procedure.

“Oh, my gosh, I’ve been through so much,” said Williams who’s very life, let alone tennis career, is believed to have been in danger. “I never thought I would be here again. There were often times that I never thought I’d play again. Then I thought I’d never be able to win tournaments or Grand Slams.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Qatar Total Open, Serena Williams, Sports, Victoria Azarenka, women tennis news