TENNIS WTA INDIAN WELLS – Viktoria Azarenka set up a blockbuster third round clash against Maria Sharapova with a 6-2 6-4 win over Kirsten Flipkens. Vika eased through the first set with 6-2 before fighting back from a 2-4 deficit in the second set. Diego Sampaolo
Viktoria Azarenka set up a blockbuster third round clash against Maria Sharapova with a 6-2 6-4 win over Kirsten Flipkens. Vika eased through the first set with 6-2 before fighting back from a 2-4 deficit in the second set.
Azarenka faced a point for 2-5 but she clawed her way back to clinch the second set with 6-4.
Sharapova edged Yanina Wickmayer with 6-1 7-5. The Belgian player saved five match points before Masha clinched the win on her sixth match point.
Sharapova won the Indian Wells in 2006 and 2012. Azarenka beat Sharapova in the 2012 Indian Wells final. Azarenka leads 7-6 in her previous head-to-head matches against Sharapova.
“I definitely need to play my best tennis because she is playing great. I am really looking forward to it. It’s been a while since we last played. It’s going to be exciting”, said Azarenka
Indian Wells defending champion Flavia Pennetta made her debut with a 6-4 6-2 win over Madison Brengle, who had won their previous head-to-head match in Los Angeles in 2007.
Last year Pennetta completed a sensational week in which she beat two top-3 players Li Na in the semifinal and Agnieszka Radwanska in the final
Pennetta suffered from an injury problem in Doha where she was beaten by Agnieszka Radwanska but she appeared in good shape. The Italian converted her break point in the seventh game and held serve in the next game for 5-3. Pennetta rallied from 0-30 in the tenth game of the first set and earned two set points. Brengle saved the first two set points but Pennetta converted the third to clinch the opening set with 6-4. Pennetta converted on her third break point in the third game of the second set to take a 2-1 lead with her down-the-line backhand. Pennetta never looked back and converted on her sixth break point after a long fifth game and cruised to 6-2. Pennetta will take on the winner of the match between Taylor Townsend and Samantha Stosur.
Sabine Lisicki won just her second match of the year with 6-1 5-7 6-4 over Roberta Vinci. The German, who lost six first round matches in seven tournaments, dropped her serve with a double fault at the start of the first set but Vinci was broken in her three service games and lost the first set with 6-1. Vinci recovered from two breaks down and drew level to 3-3. Vinci went down 3-5 but she fought back before clinching the second set with 7-5 on the third set point. Vinci trailed 1-3 in the decider. She managed to draw level to 3-all but she was broken again before losing the match after two hours.
Vinci’s close friend Sara Errani, winner in Rio de Janeiro and semifinalist in Monterrey, opened her Indian Wells campaign with a 6-0 4-6 6-2 win over Liu Zhu from China. Errani won 69 percent of her first serve points in the first set and 57percent of her second serve points to win the first set with a bagel. The Chinese player won 64 percent of her first serve points in the second set and drew level with a 6-4 win in the second set. Errani broke serve early in the third set. Liu Zhu recovered it but Errani wrapped up the match with 6-2 to set up her next match against Lisicki.
Caroline Wozniacki overcame Ons Jabeur 7-6 (7-3) 6-4. Ana Ivanovic eased past Yuliya Putintseva 6.3 6-1. Eugenie Bouchard cruised past Lucie Hradecka 6-2 6-2. Lesia Tsurenko battled past Andrea Petkovic with 6-3 4-6 6-4 to take her first top-10 win.
