Bartoli Ends Azarenka’s Win Streak

With the result of the match no longer in question, tears began forming in Victoria Azarenka’s eyes. There would be no magic escape from defeat this time around.

Marion Bartoli, ranked a career-high No. 7, beat world No. 1 Azarenka 6-3, 6-3 in a convincing fashion to end the Belarussian’s 26-match win streak. The 27-year-old Frenchwoman kept Azarenka on her heels all night and won six out of 10 break points. As the match wore on, it was evident that the 22-year-old Azarenka was running out of steam. She finished the match with 16 winners to Bartoli’s 27.

“I honestly never seen her play that well,” said Azarenka, who owns an 8-3 head-to-head edge over Bartoli. “But, I mean, all the credit to her. She did an amazing job today.”

Bartoli will play fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska next in the Sony Ericsson Open semifinals. She is through to the final four in Miami for the second time (2010) and is aiming for her first final at the WTA Premier Mandatory event.

“I think the main key for me was the belief and really to step up on the court trying to win the match,” said Bartoli, the 2007 Wimbledon runner-up. “Not only thinking about how well she’s playing and everything, but really go on the court, having a game plan and try to go for my shots."

Azarenka has been the dominant player on the WTA Tour this year. She has won four titles, including her first Grand Slam – the Australian Open – to become the top ranked player in the world. But in the quarterfinals against Dominika Cibulkova in Miami, Azarenka was forced to dig deep and fought back to emerge with a 1-6, 7-6, 7-5 victory, keeping her 2012 win streak alive. It was the longest win streak to start a year since Steffi Graf began the 1990 season with 25 wins. Five-time Grand Slam winner Martina Hingis holds the record for the longest season opening streak at 37 wins.

“What I’ve done in the last couple of months, I have to be really proud of myself,” said Azarenka. “For sure, you know, I could have maybe played better today, that’s for sure, but I gave it all I had. Physically I was just not able to do anything today. It was just not possible. You know, I’m a human, not a super woman, and I wish I could be but I’m not (smiling).”

While Azarenka will get some time to rest, Bartoli will be getting ready for Radwanska, a player she has not defeated in six tries.

“I know the stats (smiling),” said Bartoli. “But I think a first is always to happen, so maybe it’s going to be my first tomorrow. But I know it’s not going to be easy. That’s for sure. I know I will have to run a lot, a lot more forward, because I know she’s going to make a lot of dropshots. I’m going to be ready.”

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images North America)

View this article at it's original Tennis Grandstand publication here. 

Vania King: A Model of Consistency

Call it the Vania King generation.

With the Williams sisters seemingly nearing the end of their careers and the focus of American tennis turning to young rising stars such as Christina McHale and Sloane Stephens, King remains one of the standout players who fits neither group – the other being 26-year-old Bethanie Mattek-Sands, a former American No. 1.

The oft-overlooked King has reached success mostly as a doubles player – winning the 2010 Wimbledon and U.S. Open women’s doubles titles with partner Yaroslava Shevdova – but has enjoyed a consistently strong singles career as well.

The 23-year-old southern California native turned pro at the age of 17 in July 2006. She would go on to reach a career high of No. 50 in the world a few months later. Since then, King has never finished a season ranked lower than No. 129. She is now the third ranked American behind Serena Williams and McHale at world No. 54.

And she is just getting started.

“I think my game has evolved a lot,” King told Tennis Grandstand. “Most importantly, my motivation and my confidence have been good. I’ve been happy with playing. Obviously, I feel like my tennis has improved. I feel like I have a lot to improve still. It’s always a good thing to know that you can be better – I’ll have something to look forward to.”

When speaking of her current status in the game, King turned philosophical.

“I’m trying not to worry too much about the ranking; I’m trying to focus on each match and my game itself,” she said. “I feel like if you’re playing well, the results will come. It’s not a reflection of the number that you have, it’s more of a reflection of the work you’ve done before.

Although her only WTA title came in 2006 at the now defunct PTT Bangkok Open, King has experienced a recent surge in success at the big stages. A run into the third rounds at last year’s French Open and U.S. Open was followed by a third round finish at the 2012 Australian Open – her best results at the majors.

At the BNP Paribas Open last week, King came down with the stomach virus that affected many other players and was forced to withdraw after posting two strong victories over higher ranked opponents. Still not feeling 100 percent, she defeated Laura Pous-Tio to open her Sony Ericsson Open campaign in Miami. She takes on 15^th seed Ana Ivanovic, who defeated her earlier this year in Melbourne, in the second round.

Even with the success on court, King has never been one to let tennis consume her life. The youngest of four children of Taiwanese immigrants – her brother Phillip was also a professional tennis player – King has found passions in other outlets. A very talented singer, she has performed at baseball stadiums and night sessions at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Additionally, King has been taking online classes for the past half year.

“I think I’d be something like a guidance counselor for kids, that’s something that I want to pursue,” she said, when asked what career she would have chosen aside from tennis. “I haven’t declared my major yet, but I’m studying online right now. I’d like to work in something like elementary education or psychology.”

King may not be the headline American player at tournaments or have experienced a notable break out match that some of the younger players have, but she has been a stalwart of the U.S. contingent ever since turning pro.

If it feels like Vania King has been around the pro tennis circuits for a long time, it is because she has. And she is not going anywhere, anytime soon.

(Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images North America)

This article was written for my weekly column at Tennis Grandstand. View it here.

Ivanovic Cruises to Victory Over Wozniacki

The battle of two former world No. 1s turned out to be a one-sided affair.

Ana Ivanovic, playing some of her best tennis in recent memory, overwhelmed defending champion Caroline Wozniacki in a convincing 6-3, 6-2 victory at the 2012 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. It was her first top-10 win since October 2011, when she defeated No. 3 Vera Zvonareva in Beijing.

The pair had split their encounters coming into the fourth round match, with two victories each, but there was no stopping Ivanovic on this night.

The 24-year-old Serb, currently ranked No. 16 in the world, blasted forehands and backhands past Wozniacki, the No. 4 seed, and dictated points from the beginning of the match. Ivanovic finished with 24 winners and 28 unforced errors, while the error-prone Wozniacki had only four winners and 17 unforced errors. Normally a shaky server, Ivanovic turned in three aces for good measure.

“I was really looking for opportunities, and, you know, trying to come in, as well, whenever I had chance, and trying to step in from both sides and trying to stay calm in my serve and execute the way I was executing in practice,” said Ivanovic in her post match press conference. “I really managed to do that well today.”

And she not only played with power, but with precision and poise.

Up 4-2 in the second set and holding a break point, a long rally ensued. Wozniacki started to hit with conviction but a well timed and perfectly placed drop shot by Ivanovic left the 21-year-old Dane flat-footed. Ivanovic, whose right thigh was taped throughout the match, had broken Wozniacki for the fifth time.

“She just played better than me today,” said a dejected Wozniacki. “I just need to get back and practice on a few things and hopefully get back strong for Miami.”

The victory improves Ivanovic’s 2012 record to 10 wins and 5 losses. She takes on No. 7 seed Marion Bartoli next in the quarterfinals. Wozniacki’s 2012 record drops to 9 wins and 5 losses, and questions on whether she can regain her top spot or win a Grand Slam will persist.

Both players have been world No. 1, but on this night it was the confident Ivanovic who looked as if she could dominate on the WTA Tour.

This article was originally published by Tennis Grandstand and can be seen here.

WTA at Indian Wells

Give it up for the ladies of the WTA. They've been cranking out gems all week at the 2012 Indian Wells tournament.

1) Caroline Wozniacki's failed prank on Maria Sharapova. (Watch how red Caro she turns.)





2) The queen of WTA blogs, Irina Falconi, gives fans detailed behind-the-scenes of her daily activities. (She also answers my question on which player she would take on a cross-country road trip.)

http://www.wtatennis.com/blog/20120307/irina-falconis-indian-wells-blog-wednesday_2257191_2640373

3.) The top-8 women answering questions about each other. Maria clearly doesn't indulge herself in the lives of the other players.