Vera Zvonareva has strong start at WTA Championship
No. 2 ranked Russian Vera Zvonareva continued her strong play in the WTA Championships in Doha, Qatar, as she downed Belarusian Victoria Azarenka in straight sets, 7-6 and 6-4. The win brings Zvonareva’s record to an impressive 2-0 and surely punches
her ticket into the semi-finals, while Azarenka falls to 0-1 in the tournament.
The match was extremely close, as most of the matches between these two competitors in the past have been. Zvonareva had lost to Azarenka twice before, but today she was the one to come up with the upper
hand.
Zvonareva rallied back from being down 4-2 in the first set, and continued her spectacular play into the second set, rallying from a 3-1 deficit. However, the tale of the tape may have been how each one
served. Zvonareva had four aces and also four double faults compared to Azarenka who had zero aces and double faulted six times. Five of Azarenka’s double faults came in the second set with the pressure of the situation and weather clearly being felt.
"It's very humid here. Sometimes your racquet just slips out of your hands. It's the same conditions for everybody, but I had less time to prepare than anybody else. I'm still happy to be here and I have
to regroup from today." Azarenka has said after her match.
After the match, Zvonareva was excited just that it was over.
"It's maybe one of the longest straight set matches I've ever played," Zvonareva said. "We've played so many times before. I'm just happy to get through."
For Azarenka, getting off on the wrong foot might not have been best for her situation, as now she is in a must win situation with no. 3 ranked Kim Clijsters and no. 6 ranked Jelena Jankovic waiting in the
wings for their turn at the Belarusian.
For the 2-0 Zvonareva, her greatest test comes up next from Belgian Kim Clijsters, however, she may save her “A” game for the semi-finals.
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