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Williams and Azarenka Advance to U.S. Open Final Another Match, Another Mismatch
(about 2 hours later)
Victoria Azarenka’s ride to the final of the United States Open has looked routine enough on paper. She avoided any real flirtations with an upset, and her workmanlike journey through the draw formed her part of an expected trip to the final for the second consecutive year. Victoria Azarenka’s ride to the final of the United States Open looked routine enough on paper. She avoided any serious threat of an upset, and her workmanlike effort resulted in a predictable trip to the final for the second consecutive year.
But if you watched her face in her 6-4, 6-2 semifinal victory over Flavia Pennetta on Friday in the first women’s semifinal, or in her fourth-round victory over Ana Ivanovic, it would have provided a different portrait. She spent most of those matches looking exasperated, unable to control matters on her serve and to grab control of the matches. But the look on her face in her 6-4, 6-2 semifinal victory over Flavia Pennetta on Friday in the first women’s semifinal, or in her fourth-round, three-set victory over Ana Ivanovic, provided a different portrait. She spent most of those contests looking exasperated, unable to establish control on her serve or to grab command of the matches.
She won both and did not even need the drama of a third set for Friday’s victory. But she is likely to need to find a higher level for the final, which pits her against No. 1 Serena Williams. She won both and did not even need a third set for Friday’s victory. But she is likely to need to find a higher level for Sunday’s final, which pits her against No. 1 Serena Williams.
Williams had none of Azarenka’s issues getting there. She has rolled through her opponents, including No. 5 Li Na, whom she beat in their semifinal Friday, 6-0, 6-3. Williams had none of Azarenka’s problems getting there. She has rolled through her opponents, including No. 5 Li Na, whom she beat in their semifinal Friday, 6-0, 6-3.
Although Williams blitzed through the first set in 29 minutes, Li dug in for some grueling games in the second set, including breaking Williams’s serve. But even as she was running all over the court to save her serve to pull to 3-5 — saving six match points in the process — it was mostly for pride. Williams served out the match in the next game. Although Williams blitzed through the first set in 29 minutes, Li dug in for some grueling games in the second set, including a break of Williams’s serve. But even as Li was running all over the court to save her serve to pull to 3-5 — saving six match points in the process — it was mostly for pride. Williams served out the match in the next game.
“It was a good match, Li Na is such a great player,” Williams said modestly at the end. “I got a little nervous but was able to close it out.” “It was a good match; Li Na is such a great player,” Williams said. “I got a little nervous but was able to close it out.”
Until Li won her first game in the second set, Williams had won 24 straight games stretching back to her fourth-round victory over Sloane Stephens. Williams, who has not lost a set in the tournament, won her quarterfinal against Carla Suarez Navarro without dropping a game. Until Li won her first game in the second set, Williams had won 24 straight games stretching back to her fourth-round victory over Sloane Stephens. Williams, who has not lost a set in the tournament, won her quarterfinal against Carla Suárez Navarro without dropping a game.
“I don’t know,” Williams said when asked about that dominance. “I’ve just been really focused in all my practices. I’ve been trying really hard. And I come out here and hear all people saying, ‘Go, Serena.’ It really means a lot.”“I don’t know,” Williams said when asked about that dominance. “I’ve just been really focused in all my practices. I’ve been trying really hard. And I come out here and hear all people saying, ‘Go, Serena.’ It really means a lot.”
Li had her share of support too, from a crowd that not only has warmed to her, but wanted to see a better match. Li hoped to deliver that, but said her nerves got the better of her. Li received her share of support from a crowd that not only had warmed to her but also wanted to see a better match. Li hoped to deliver that, but she said her nerves got the better of her.
“Today, doesn’t matter who is the opponent; the problem is myself,” she said. “I mean, should not be nervous because not my first time to play semis. But when I walk on the court, I was feeling the court so big. I mean, even my side. I was feeling like football court. “Today, doesn’t matter who is the opponent; the problem is myself,” she said.
“I was feeling like table tennis. I cannot focus. I think this I have to find out.” Li added that it was not her first time in the semifinals, so she should not have felt nervous. But the court seemed enormous, she said, and she was unable to focus. Azarenka, despite her lopsided score against Pennetta, was far less dominant than Williams. Azarenka’s serve was broken five times, after she had yielded seven service breaks to Ivanovic.
Azarenka, despite her lopsided score against Pennetta, looked far less dominant than Williams. She had her serve broken five times, after yielding seven service breaks to Ivanovic.
Only after Azarenka pounded in one last volley winner against Pennetta did she show anything resembling joy, her high-pitched squeal reaching every corner of Arthur Ashe Stadium.Only after Azarenka pounded in one last volley winner against Pennetta did she show anything resembling joy, her high-pitched squeal reaching every corner of Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“I’m happy I’m in the final,” she said. “There are always things that can be better. I feel like the first set was a little bit tricky.“I’m happy I’m in the final,” she said. “There are always things that can be better. I feel like the first set was a little bit tricky.
“But just being able to pick it up and raise the level in the important moments, that’s what it’s all about, to be able to do that.”“But just being able to pick it up and raise the level in the important moments, that’s what it’s all about, to be able to do that.”
Azarenka, who has two Australian Open titles on her résumé, has a chance to add another Grand Slam victory at another tournament well suited to her game. She made it to the final here last year, losing to Williams in a hard-fought match after squandering a chance late in the third set of a 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 loss. Azarenka, who has won two Australian Opens, has a chance to add a Grand Slam title at another tournament well suited to her game. She made it to the final here last year, losing to Williams in a hard-fought match, 6-2, 2-6, 7-5, after squandering a chance late in the third set.
This year brings a rematch, and another chance for Azarenka to clear a big hurdle. Azarenka has won only 3 of their 15 career meetings, although she did win the most recent one, in a tournament in Cincinnati last month, 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6). This year brings a rematch, and another chance for Azarenka to clear a big hurdle. Azarenka has won only 3 of their 15 meetings, although she won the most recent one, at a tournament in suburban Cincinnati last month, 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6).
“I think that the battles that we had, it was really just taking each other out of the most comfortable zone and just fight for every ball,” Azarenka said. “We know each other pretty well. I know her strengths; she knows my strengths. That’s what it’s all about, those turning points, who wants it more, who’s willing to go for it more.”“I think that the battles that we had, it was really just taking each other out of the most comfortable zone and just fight for every ball,” Azarenka said. “We know each other pretty well. I know her strengths; she knows my strengths. That’s what it’s all about, those turning points, who wants it more, who’s willing to go for it more.”
Her semifinal victory, however, did not inspire a lot of confidence that she could replicate her recent win against Williams in the final. Williams, though, said she was still prepared for a tough match. Williams said she was prepared for another tough match.
“We always have really good matches,” Williams said. “She’s a great player and she lifts her game when it counts.” “We always have really good matches,” Williams said. “She’s a great player, and she lifts her game when it counts.”
Azarenka’s semifinal started with two straight breaks of serve. Pennetta came out firing winners early, trying to make the most of her first trip to a Grand Slam semifinal, which came unexpectedly as she returned from a wrist injury that dropped her out of the top 100 this year. Pennetta came out firing winners early against Azarenka, trying to make the most of her first trip to a Grand Slam semifinal, which came unexpectedly as she returned from a wrist injury that caused her to drop out of the top 100 this year.
But Pennetta, 31, showed herself a gritty competitor in beating two of her highly ranked Italian countrywomen, No. 4 Sara Errani and No. 10 Roberta Vinci, on her way to the semifinals. But her serve was not anything to boast about, either, and there were five straight breaks of serve in the first set that led to the dramatic 10th game. Then, Azarenka needed six set points before she got Pennetta to drill a service return into the net for the victory. Five straight breaks of serve in the first set led to a dramatic 10th game. Azarenka needed six set points before she got Pennetta to drill a service return into the net.
Asked what the turning point was, Azarenka rolled her eyes and said, “When I held my serve finally.”Asked what the turning point was, Azarenka rolled her eyes and said, “When I held my serve finally.”
Pennetta, though, was faring even worse on her serve. She lost eight service games in the match. Pennetta fared worse on her serve: she was broken eight times in the match.
“I didn’t serve really well today, but she didn’t either,” Pennetta said. “I think it was a lot of wind on the court. It’s moving a lot the ball all the time. It was not easy to serve. But for me, I think I didn’t serve the way I was serving before because she make me a lot of pressure.” Azarenka kept the pressure on Pennetta’s serve by returning deep and rushing the net when she could. That left her to figure out what was going wrong on her own serve.
Azarenka did constantly keep the pressure on Pennetta’s serve by returning deep and rushing the net when she could. That left her to figure out what was going wrong on her own serve.
“I think the rhythm is sometimes off,” Azarenka said. “Sometimes can be a bit emotional, but sometimes you are just so focused, you don’t realize what you are doing wrong. I had to really keep my focus.”“I think the rhythm is sometimes off,” Azarenka said. “Sometimes can be a bit emotional, but sometimes you are just so focused, you don’t realize what you are doing wrong. I had to really keep my focus.”
She did accomplish that, which she hopes is something to build on for the final. She accomplished that, and she hopes it is something to build on for the final.