Victoria Azarenka will take on Angelique Kerber in tomorrow’s final at the Brisbane International. Azarenka cruised to a 6-0 6-3 win over tournament revelation Samantha Crawford. Kerber beat Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2 6-3 in the first semifinal.
Azarenka took full control of the match from the onset after a long ball from Crawford allowed the two-time Australian Open champion to break in the first game of the match. Azarenka raced to 5-0 after just 21 minutes before wrapping up the first set after 25 minutes with a stunning backhand down the line. During the first set Azarenka made just two unforced errors compared to Crawford’s 14.
Crawford began the second set with two aces which allowed her to win her first game of the match and recived a big cheer from the crowd. However, the moment was short-lived as Azarenka launched another offensive on the court and got a double break to race to 4-1.
Crawford got her second break in the second set at 5-2 on Azarenka’s match point but the former World Number 1 player clinched the final game to win the second set 6-3.
“She hits really big, really hard. With a little bit more work and variety she has good potential. I am sure we are going to see a lot more of her”, said Azarenka
Azarenka will play in her fourth career final in Brisbane where she has already triumphed in 2009. The Belurussian player, who is now ranked World Number 22, has reached her first final since Doha last February.
Twenty-year-old Crawford has reached her first WTA semifinal after an impressive week in which she beat Belinda Bencic and Andrea Petkovic.
Azarenka’s rival in the final will be Kerber who has reached the 18th final of her career (seven wins and ten defeats). Kerber broke serve at the start and at the end of both sets to seal the win.
The German showed a very solid tennis from the baseline, while Suarez Navarro made too many unforced errors. Kerber held all her eight service games and saved both break points she faced.
Kerber hit 25 winners to 18 unforced errors, while Suarez Navarro had a differential of -9 (13 winners to 22 unforced errors).
The German player has advanced to the Brisbane final without dropping a set in her past three matches.
“I think it was a very good match from me. I was feeling very well from the first point. I knew I had to play aggressively against her, and I was trying to go for it, trying to let her move, and if I had the chance, just to go for it. It worked well today, so I am happy with my performance. I came here to have a lot of matches. Right now I am in the final, so that’s not bad. When you start the season, you don’t know exactly where you are standing. You don’t know how the others are playing and the others worked in the last few weeks. I can just say that I am feeling good. I am feeling better in every match”, said Kerber.
Kerber has lost her five past matches against Azarenka.
“We have marathon matches all the time. Hopefully it’s another good one”, said Azarenka.
“We had so many tough battles, but I never won against her. When I play against her, I will try to beat her for the first time here”, said Kerber
