TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships 2011: Azarenka, Li Na & Stosur – Part Four
Fourth seed Victoria Azarenka
Azarenka had a mind blowing 2011 season as she captured three year-to-date WTA titles and registered a 56-18 win – loss record. She had a shaky start of the season but perfected her game in March when the Belarusian made a six
match winning streak to triumph her maiden year-to-date title at Miami. Azarenka’s winning momentum continued in the next month as well as she clinched her second WTA title at Marbella.
22-year-old Belarusian’s form dipped afterwards but she raised it again in Madrid WTA Premier where she made a final berth before losing to Petra Kvitova. For the next four tournaments, she either made into last eight or last four
including performances at French Open and Wimbledon. Her awe-inspiring skills led her far in every other tournament she played in the WTA tour and pocketed her third WTA title at Luxembourg International event.
After triumphing at Luxembourg, Belarusian stated, "I'm very pleased to win another title. I was improving from match to match. I came here to get matches before Istanbul and of course win the tournament - everywhere I enter, I
try to be the best."
Azarenka confidently entered Istanbul and dumped US Open titlist Samantha Stosur and French Open titlist Li Na in straight sets. Despite losing to French Marion Bartoli, the Belarusian advanced into the semi-finals to face sixth
seeded Russian Vera Zvonareva. After earning a straight set victory in the semis, she set-up a final clash with Czech Petra Kvitova.
Regardless of losing in the title-round, the Belarusian jumped one spot in the rankings to world number three.
Fifth seed Li Na:
The Chinese saw a glorious season as she reached final of Australian Open and triumph her maiden Grand Slam title after winning the French Open. She became the first Chinese to win a Grand Slam.
29-year-old made an exceptional start of the season as she clinched her first title at Sydney, the first tournament she entered. She then made a final berth at Australian Open before losing to third seed Belgian Kim Clijsters.
Li fell to a five match losing streak after it but lifted her level of game again on the clay season. She made last four showing at Madrid and Rome before triumphing at Roland Garros. However, the curse of grabbing a Grand Slam occupied her and she failed
to even reach a quarter-final of any event. The veteran made into the semis at New Haven but again fell to a three match losing streak before entering this tournament.
Li declared, "There are two groups and both are tough. It's the last tournament for the whole year and we need to show everyone we can play good tennis."
The Chinese stormed at the WTA Championships and shocked second seeded Maria Sharapova in straight sets. However, she lost her remaining round robin matches i.e. against Victoria Azarenka and Samantha Stosur and stayed on the same
rank at world number five at year end.
Seventh seed Samantha Stosur
The Australian super star Samantha Stosur lime lighted her season by winning the US Open. Her awe-inspiring skills led her crush a former world number one Serna Williams in the title round.
Besides pocketing the Grand Slam, 27-year-old Aussie made final showing at Rome, Toronto and Osaka and reached the semi-finals at Stuttgart and Eastbourne before entering Istanbul.
Stosur said before the tournament began, “It's going to be a tough week but I'm looking forward to it."
The Aussie comfortably entered the WTA Championships for the second time. She triumphed over Maria Sharapova for the first time in her career in her first round Robin match. Despite losing to Azarenka, she crippled Li with a bagel
to reach the semi-finals where the Czech Kvitova awaited her. Stosur failed to battle past the eventual champion but leaped over Zvonareva to reach the world number six.
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