Victoria Azarenka is set to crack into the WTA Tour's top five after crushing Irina-Camelia Begu in the Andalucia Tennis Experience final. The title - Azarenka's second in succession after she claimed the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami last week - will see the 21-year-old become the second Belarusian after Natasha Zvereva to make it to number five in the world rankings. Begu's dream run through the Marbella tournament came to a crashing halt in Sunday's final as Azarenka routed the Romanian qualifier 6-3 6-2 in 82 minutes. Begu, who had never won a main-draw match on the WTA Tour prior to the tournament, reached the last eight without dropping a set and upset sixth seed Klara Zakopalova and second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova to set up the clash with Azarenka. But the top seed was simply too good for Begu, punishing the Romanian's second serve to capitalise on seven of 11 break-point opportunities. Begu had a brief look-in after breaking Azarenka in the first game of the second set, but the latter fired back with a break of her own and consolidated for a 2-1 lead. The set moved to 3-2 as both players held serve, but Azarenka then hit top gear and secured back-to-back breaks to wrap up the match and clinch her seventh WTA title. Azarenka has now won 11 straight matches dating back to the Miami Open, where she defeated Kim Clijsters, Vera Zvonareva and Maria Sharapova in an impressive run to the title.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Vika to carack top 5.
Victoria Azarenka is set to crack into the WTA Tour's top five after crushing Irina-Camelia Begu in the Andalucia Tennis Experience final. The title - Azarenka's second in succession after she claimed the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami last week - will see the 21-year-old become the second Belarusian after Natasha Zvereva to make it to number five in the world rankings. Begu's dream run through the Marbella tournament came to a crashing halt in Sunday's final as Azarenka routed the Romanian qualifier 6-3 6-2 in 82 minutes. Begu, who had never won a main-draw match on the WTA Tour prior to the tournament, reached the last eight without dropping a set and upset sixth seed Klara Zakopalova and second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova to set up the clash with Azarenka. But the top seed was simply too good for Begu, punishing the Romanian's second serve to capitalise on seven of 11 break-point opportunities. Begu had a brief look-in after breaking Azarenka in the first game of the second set, but the latter fired back with a break of her own and consolidated for a 2-1 lead. The set moved to 3-2 as both players held serve, but Azarenka then hit top gear and secured back-to-back breaks to wrap up the match and clinch her seventh WTA title. Azarenka has now won 11 straight matches dating back to the Miami Open, where she defeated Kim Clijsters, Vera Zvonareva and Maria Sharapova in an impressive run to the title.
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