Victoria Azarenka outfoxes Ana Ivanovic to reach quarters – Mutua Madrid Open 2012
World number one, Victoria Azarenka, got the better of the 13th seed, Ana Ivanovic, in straight sets at the Mutua Madrid Open 2012 on Wednesday. She jolted down a 6-4, 6-4 victory against the Serbian number one to breeze into the final eight at
this WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) Premier Mandatory event held in Madrid, Spain.
The top seed displayed flawless performance to stomp over Ivanovic in their fourth outing. After stealing the show in one hour and 26 minutes, Azarenka not only avenged her loss at the Cincinnati WTA Premier event two years ago but also levelled the head-to-head
series by 2-2 against the Serb.
"Ana started really strong and I was a little bit too slow and not really aggressive enough, but I knew I could turn it around," Azarenka commented after the match. "I just needed to get a small opportunity, and that's it. I just tried to stay in the moment
and keep applying what wasn't really working at the beginning. I just tried to do the same things but execute them better."
The world number 15, Ivanovic, thundered into Park Manzanares and drew the first blood in the fourth game to jump to a 4-1 lead. However, she stepped off gas after that and lost her track.
Azarenka on the other end re-ignited her spark and went on a five-game tear. She cashed in two out of four break chances and subsequently bagged the opener by winning six games to four.
The Belarusian number one kept momentum rolling into the following set and earned the desiderated break in the opening game. She capitalised on another break opportunity in the fifth game and leaped to a 4-1 lead. Despite squandering her chance of serving
out the set with a breadstick, Azarenka swiped in two more serves and clinched the set with a 6-4 score line.
Summing up the 22-year-old’s performance, Azarenka spilled seven double faults but clobbered a better first serve share to neutralize the effect. She also spectacularly marked 38 out of 54 points on it and sealed the deal by bagging 71 points.
The Serbian on the other side of net secured this spot after crushing her opponents with breadsticks. She dumped the French qualifier Mathilde Johansson and the Russian star, Nadia Petrova, in straight sets.
Ivanovic reflected afterwards, "I want to take a lot of positive things from this and try to build from today and just try to get my act together for the even bigger ones."
The blooming Azarenka, who went on a 26 matches killing spree from the start of the season, set-up a date with the Roland Garros titlist, Na Li. She is bidding for her fifth year-to-date title at this blue clay court event. With her current form, the Belarusian
can tumble over anyone. She is coming off from the final showdown at the Porsche Open where she bowed out to Maria Sharapova.
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