Serena Williams topples Victoria Azarenka to claim the title – Mutua Madrid Open 2012
Ninth seed, Serena Williams, conquered the world number one, Victoria Azarenka, with a breadstick at the Mutua Madrid Open 2012 on Sunday. She nudged up a 6-1, 6-3 victory against the 22-year-old to lift her 41st career title at this WTA (Women’s
Tennis Association) Premier Mandatory event taking place in Madrid, Spain.
The former world number one, Williams, stayed on track to reclaim her top spot at the WTA Premier Rankings after stunning the Belarusian in their eighth meeting. After stealing the spotlight, the American extended her lead in the head-to-head series by 7-1
against the top seed.
"I think Victoria is the player to beat," the ecstatic American stated in a post-match press conference. "She has won I don't know how many tournaments this year alone. That's an amazing amount. So if you look at the stats, you just have to put her up there
as the player to beat. My whole thing is to play consistently. That's what I've done the last couple weeks - and doing what I do best, which at the end of the day is playing tennis. I belong on a tennis court. That's where I feel amazing."
Williams, who entered Park Manzanares standing at ninth rank at the WTA rankings, fired 26 winners to rule the match. She smashed 14 ferocious aces and wind up the match in one hour and four minutes.
The American number one thundered into the opening set and reeled off the opening four games in a row before Azarenka could hold on. She maintained her intensity and bagged the last two games to pull out the opener with a breadstick.
The 30-year-old kept momentum rolling into the proceeding set and earned the desiderated break in the second game to jump to a 3-0 lead. She then continued hitting massive forehands and swiped in remaining serves, ultimately clicking the set with a 6-3 score
line.
Overall, the jubilant Williams spilled fewer errors and apart from producing a lower first serve share of 49 per cent as compared to the Belarusian’s 60 per cent, she spectacularly marked 21 out of 23 points on it. The American brushed off the lone breakpoint
she faced and ended the match with 54 points.
Williams is now 13-0 on clay this circuit which includes her maiden year-to-date title at the Charleston WTA event and a Fed Cup win which led her nation back into the World Group. The American has also levelled with Petra Kvitova for the second most titles
captured among active players. (Her sister, Venus Williams currently holds the highest number of titles i.e. 43).
The American veteran is now eying to extend her clay court streak at the Internazionali BNL D’Italia in Rome. She will square-off against the Kazakhstani star, Galina Voskoboeva, in the opening round. With her current run of form, the unstoppable veteran
will crush not only the Kazakh but any other contestant who will come in her way to re-gain the top rank.
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