Azarenka plays down Istanbul chances
Print Edition
Victoria Azarenka implied her season was all but over after a 4-6, 3-6 loss to Jelena Jankovic on Wednesday delivered a significant blow to her chances of making a challenge for Serena Williams’ title at the WTA Championships.
However, Azarenka’s words were almost as much of a surprise as her first defeat in four years to the seventh-seeded former world No. 1, as she only needs to win her remaining group match Ñ against Li Na Ñ to be almost sure of qualifying for the semifinals in Istanbul.
The world No. 2 from Belarus cut a forlorn and self-critical figure after another unusually error-prone performance, with fewer redeeming features than her struggle to get past Sara Errani of Italy on Tuesday.
After dropping serve to go 2-4 down in the first set, Azarenka appeared to struggle with a lack of confidence, and sometimes over-pressed to try to repair the increasing damage.
Azarenka was disconsolate afterwards.
“There were a lot of things I didn’t do well, so to find just one will make it really difficult,” she said. “Of course she’s playing well. She’s playing her best tennis just now, but I can’t sit here and say I played well.”
Azarenka then suggested she had all but given up on the title in Istanbul. “I have one more match, so, you know, for me, it’s just going to be about that.
“Then there is a break, and 2013 will be over for me. So that’s what I kind of have to deal with at this particular moment Ñ just one more match.”
Williams by contrast cruised to her second straight-sets win, beating Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-4 while making almost certain of qualifying for tomorrow’s semifinals.
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