“It's pretty much a two-week event, and you have days in between like in the Grand Slams. It's a big tournament, and I'm very, very happy,” said Wozniacki. “Once again, I showed that I can play great tennis, and I've beaten some really good players this week.”
The 20-year-old Dane had impressed in her semi-final match against past champion Maria Sharapova two nights earlier, and carried that form into her second straight Indian Wells final, conceding just three points on serve to race through the opening set.
Bartoli put up a fight, breaking Wozniacki twice in the second set to extend the match, but the top seed came back strong in the third as she opened up a double-break lead to go up 4-1. Though Bartoli recovered one break of serve to narrow the lead to 4-3, Wozniacki won the final three games, clinching the title on her second match point when Bartoli’s return sailed long.
“I played very, very well, I thought, actually in the whole match, but first set I felt like I had the most control,” said Wozniacki. “I had her running; I had her moving. Second set, she just went for her shots. She started to hit even harder. I didn't feel I played badly. I thought actually I played pretty good, but she was very steady, keeping the pressure. In the third set, I just kept my head cool. We had a lot of long rallies, but I came up with the wins, so it was nice.”
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Wozniacki, who has improved on each of her five visits to Indian Wells, is the eighth different women’s champion here in the last eight years and the 16th overall in tournament history.
She has now won 14 tour-level titles, placing her fifth among active players on the WTA Tour. Wozniacki also won the Dubai title last month.
Bartoli was contesting her first final since 2009, when she won her biggest career title at the Premier-level event in Stanford. She had ousted two past champions, Kim Clijsters and Ana Ivanovic, this past fortnight.
“After the first set I really start to play a lot better,” said Bartoli. “Honestly, I think it was one of the best match I ever played from the second set on towards the end. We had some really nice shots from both of us. I think it was a great match to watch from the crowd, and I really enjoyed playing it, even though I come up a bit short at the end.
“You can always say you could have done better, but I think I pretty much gave everything on the court. Sometimes you come up a bit short. But if I keep working like that, I'm sure I'm going to improve and be even a better player.”
PS. Sorry its been so long between posts, I have been expirencing some technical difficulties.
3 comments:
The Big Stuffed Bunny is having a good year, including I.W. is the fourth straight semifinal, third straight final, and a record of 2-1 in finals, and she finally captured one of the "Seven Rings of Hell".
The Big Bunny defeated two players in the top ten, but she defeated no players in the top five on her way to the title.
I'm not impressed with The Big Bunny's victory over Divapova. I don't see Divapova as a top player any more, any player have a chance defeat her nowadays. I said it before I'll say it again after her shoulder surgery Divapova lost a level of play.
PS: Big Boooooo to your technical difficulties Captain. :P I know is not your fault, I hope you don't get mad at me but I was expecting more post from I.W.
PSS: From March Madness and I.W. my eyes are fried!!!
Finaly the Bunny has a ring of hell to her name, but not a very convincing one. And one of her top 10 wins was due to retirement, I think if the Angry Bird was healthy, she would have teken the eggs :P
Im really sorry for my technical difficulties that plagued me in IW, but Im sure Miami will be better! Ahaha, Ive always like Miami better anyway :P
I like I.W. better than Miami. :P
I disagree I think The Big Stuffed Bunny would have defeated the Angry Bird, she had a three hour match with Aggie and I think her energy level was low. The Bunny was much fresher she would have taken the eggs.
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