Williams won a close first set then edged Azarenka in the second to win a tense final 6-4, 7-5 in 98 minutes. The defending champion just shaded Azarenka throughout, with her powerful serve proving the main difference between the world’s top two players.
Williams broke Azarenka once in the first set. Although she lost her serve twice in the second, she broke Azarenka three times to seal victory.
The win was Williams’ 14th over Azarenka in 17 meetings, and stamps her as the player to beat for the Australian Open later this month.
Williams, who also beat world number four Maria Sharapova in the semifinals, did not drop a set on the way to the final. The American lost only four matches in 2011 on her way to winning 11 titles, including two Grand Slams.
She regained her number one ranking eight weeks into 2013 in a year that also included a winning streak of 34 consecutive matches.
Federer, Hewitt to meet in Brisbane final
BRISBANE: Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt had victories on Saturday to set up a meeting in the Brisbane International final, renewing a rivalry that stretches back to the last millennium.
Federer beat No. 8-seeded Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3 in a semifinal featuring just two service breaks, immediately after Hewitt’s 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win over second-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan.
The pair of 32-year-old former No. 1s have met 26 times dating back to 1999. Federer leads their head-to-head record 18-8, including 16 wins in their last 17 matches.
Hewitt is coming back from long-term foot and toe injuries and is in his first final on home soil since losing the Australian Open decider to Marat Safin in 2005.
Li Na beats Peng in Shenzhen final
BEIJING: Chinese superstar Li Na beat compatriot Peng Shuai in straight sets on Saturday to win the Shenzhen Open tennis tournament.
Li, Asia’s highest-ranking player in tennis history and the top seed at the WTA tournament, downed Peng, who was seeded fifth, 6-4, 7-5. Peng, down 4-1 in the second set, streaked ahead with four straight victories to take a 5-4 lead before Li battled back to win the last three games and the match.
Li, 31, was the defending Shenzhen Open champion and the win marked her first ever Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) title defence, according to the organisation. She is currently ranked number three in the world.
It also marked her eighth WTA title and the first since her win at Shenzhen last year, according to the WTA. Her success on the world tennis stage has sparked new Chinese interest in the sport as well as a swell of national pride.
China’s state broadcaster CCTV named her rise its number two sports story of 2013. Peng has yet to win a WTA title and is now 0-6 in finals, according to the association.
In the doubles final, Monica Niculescu of Romania and Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic defeated the Ukrainian twin sisters Lyudmyla Kichenok and Nadiya Kichenok 6-3, 6-4.
Ivanovic beats Venus Williams to claim Auckland title
WELLINGTON: Ana Ivanovic claimed her first WTA Tour title in more than two years with a 6-2 5-7 6-4 victory over fellow former world number one Venus Williams to clinch the Auckland Classic on Saturday and boost her confidence ahead of the Australian Open.
The 26-year-old Serbian had not won a title since she completed a 6-3 6-0 victory over Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues in Bali at the end of 2011. Against the seven-times grand slam champion Ivanovic, at times, looked every bit the former top player in the world as she worked the tall American around and hit winners down the tramlines.
The former French Open champion, who had not beaten the 33-year old American since they met at the 2008 Australian Open, had romped through the clash until she was serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set when Williams seemingly came alive.
‘Very tough. Venus showed again what a great sport she is and what she has done in the past,’ Ivanovic said in a televised interview. ‘At the end of the second set I made a couple of errors that I hadn’t made up until that point,’ the Serb added of her yips in failing to close out the match in straight sets.
‘But I just decided I would try to enjoy it and play and move forward and be aggressive.’ Ivanovic, who had two match points earlier in the second set, broke in the first game of the third set and never relinquished that advantage. ‘Congrats to Anna, she played so well,’ said Venus Williams.
Williams broke Azarenka once in the first set. Although she lost her serve twice in the second, she broke Azarenka three times to seal victory.
The win was Williams’ 14th over Azarenka in 17 meetings, and stamps her as the player to beat for the Australian Open later this month.
Williams, who also beat world number four Maria Sharapova in the semifinals, did not drop a set on the way to the final. The American lost only four matches in 2011 on her way to winning 11 titles, including two Grand Slams.
She regained her number one ranking eight weeks into 2013 in a year that also included a winning streak of 34 consecutive matches.
Federer, Hewitt to meet in Brisbane final
BRISBANE: Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt had victories on Saturday to set up a meeting in the Brisbane International final, renewing a rivalry that stretches back to the last millennium.
Federer beat No. 8-seeded Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3 in a semifinal featuring just two service breaks, immediately after Hewitt’s 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win over second-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan.
The pair of 32-year-old former No. 1s have met 26 times dating back to 1999. Federer leads their head-to-head record 18-8, including 16 wins in their last 17 matches.
Hewitt is coming back from long-term foot and toe injuries and is in his first final on home soil since losing the Australian Open decider to Marat Safin in 2005.
Li Na beats Peng in Shenzhen final
BEIJING: Chinese superstar Li Na beat compatriot Peng Shuai in straight sets on Saturday to win the Shenzhen Open tennis tournament.
Li, Asia’s highest-ranking player in tennis history and the top seed at the WTA tournament, downed Peng, who was seeded fifth, 6-4, 7-5. Peng, down 4-1 in the second set, streaked ahead with four straight victories to take a 5-4 lead before Li battled back to win the last three games and the match.
Li, 31, was the defending Shenzhen Open champion and the win marked her first ever Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) title defence, according to the organisation. She is currently ranked number three in the world.
It also marked her eighth WTA title and the first since her win at Shenzhen last year, according to the WTA. Her success on the world tennis stage has sparked new Chinese interest in the sport as well as a swell of national pride.
China’s state broadcaster CCTV named her rise its number two sports story of 2013. Peng has yet to win a WTA title and is now 0-6 in finals, according to the association.
In the doubles final, Monica Niculescu of Romania and Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic defeated the Ukrainian twin sisters Lyudmyla Kichenok and Nadiya Kichenok 6-3, 6-4.
Ivanovic beats Venus Williams to claim Auckland title
WELLINGTON: Ana Ivanovic claimed her first WTA Tour title in more than two years with a 6-2 5-7 6-4 victory over fellow former world number one Venus Williams to clinch the Auckland Classic on Saturday and boost her confidence ahead of the Australian Open.
The 26-year-old Serbian had not won a title since she completed a 6-3 6-0 victory over Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues in Bali at the end of 2011. Against the seven-times grand slam champion Ivanovic, at times, looked every bit the former top player in the world as she worked the tall American around and hit winners down the tramlines.
The former French Open champion, who had not beaten the 33-year old American since they met at the 2008 Australian Open, had romped through the clash until she was serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set when Williams seemingly came alive.
‘Very tough. Venus showed again what a great sport she is and what she has done in the past,’ Ivanovic said in a televised interview. ‘At the end of the second set I made a couple of errors that I hadn’t made up until that point,’ the Serb added of her yips in failing to close out the match in straight sets.
‘But I just decided I would try to enjoy it and play and move forward and be aggressive.’ Ivanovic, who had two match points earlier in the second set, broke in the first game of the third set and never relinquished that advantage. ‘Congrats to Anna, she played so well,’ said Venus Williams.