Serena Williams vs Victoria Azarenka – Semi-final Preview: Rogers Cup 2011
Former world number one Serena Williams will be facing Belarusian sensation Victoria Azarenka on Saturday in the semi-final of 2011 WTA Rogers Cup on the hard courts at Rexall Centre, Toronto.
Williams has been in commanding form since the tournament has started. Improving her head-to-head record against Lucie Safarova to 5-0, the American made it to her first semi-final of this season on the Women’s Tennis Association
tour. She claimed her fourth Wimbledon title at All England Lawn Club last summer. However following her triumph, she suffered various form of injuries, which forced her out of the game for nearly a year.
Un-seeded at the tournament, Williams made a comeback from injury at 2011 Wimbledon Championships. Although she was knocked out in the second round of the tournament, she improved her game play with every match she played on the
tour. William’s most recent success was recorded at 2011 Stanford, when she defeated Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli to secure her first title of the season.
The American is again playing like a champion and if she can continue to play her A game consistently, she will be back in WTA top 10 shortly.
"I definitely feel like I'm coming back from a layoff, it trips me out that this is only my fourth tournament. A lot of people are still expecting me to be at the top level and I expect it even more," she said.
World number Victoria Azarenka will be William’s opponent in the semi-final. Azarenka also has given considerable results on the tour since the year 2011 has started, which include her semi-final run at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships.
Azarenka has performed absolutely brilliantly since the tournament has started. However the real challenge lies ahead as she takes on the most destructive player in the WTA world.
"It's one week," Azarenka commented on Williams. "If she can do that on a consistent basis, she'll be up in the top 10."
The two players have met each other five times on the tour prior to this meeting with Williams leading the head to head score 4-1. In their last meeting the 2010 Australian Open, she came back from 4-6, 4-0 down the Belarusian.
Considering the destructive shots she possesses, the American is the favourite to win this match.
Tags: