Doha , February 18- HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser crowned on Sunday Victoria Azarenka with the title of Qatar Tennis Open in its 11th edition. The Belarus defeated Serena Williams by two sets to one.
Azarenka won 7/6, 2/6 and 6/3 to seal the title of the tournament worth $2.369 million in prize money. The match lasted for 2 hours 28 minutes. Azarenka’s win means she has managed to defend her title. Last year she defeated Australian Samantha Stosur two sets to one. Victoria Azarenka marked the passing of her world No. 1 crown to Serena Williams by beating her to lift the Qatar Total Open title in Doha.
The Belarusian defied the pair’s career head-to-head statistics, which read 11-1 to Williams prior to the match, by meeting, and topping, her opponent’s power to win 7-6(6) 2-6 6-3 in two hours and 28 minutes.
After edging an evenly-matched first set, Azarenka was out-played in the second as her serve consistency dropped off leading to two breaks by Williams.
That forced a decider but, crucially, the 23-year-old had made Williams serve for the previous set and she was able to re-gather her nerve and start strongly.
She broke Williams at the first opportunity and with her own first serve percentage back up to 80% she held off Williams to take the set and the title.
Her win means she remains unbeaten in 2013 and may feel hard done by that the No. 1 status will pass to Williams on Monday morning, particularly as she also took the first grand slam of the year in Australia.
Williams’ renewed residency as the official world No. 1 was confirmed when she reached the semi-finals in Qatar. At 31 she will become the oldest No. 1-ranked female player since the introduction of computer rankings in 1975.
Source -
QatarChronicle
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