Azarenka sets up Serena final in Rome
Source: Agencies |
May 19, 2013, Sunday
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A WEEK out from the French Open, Serena Williams is only one victory away from winning her fourth consecutive title this year.
The top-ranked American overcame an early break of her serve to ease past Romanian qualifier Simona Halep 6-3, 6-0 yesterday to reach the Italian Open final, extending her career-best winning run to 23 matches.
Williams is coming off consecutive titles in Miami, Charleston and Madrid last week.
In today's final in Rome, Williams will face third-seeded Victoria Azarenka, who kept her concentration through two rain delays to beat seventh-seeded Sara Errani of Italy 6-0, 7-5.
Williams' only title at this claycourt event came in 2002, when she beat Justine Henin in the final. That was also the year she won her only French Open title. Last year in Paris, Williams, a 15-time grand slam winner, lost in the opening round of a major for the first time, falling to 111th-ranked Virginie Razzano of France.
Roland Garros starts next Sunday.
"I love the clay. I haven't had many wins at Roland Garros but I do love it. I love to slide," Williams said. "My goal is just to win a match there this year."
Williams, 31, has twice won 21 in a row before, although both of those runs came a decade ago, in 2002 and 2003.
Martina Navratilova established the longest women's win run in the Open Era at 74 matches in 1984.
The 64th-ranked Halep entered with an impressive run herself, having beaten former top-10 player Daniela Hantuchova to qualify then 2009 French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the first round. That was followed in succession with wins over fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanksa, 13th seed Roberta Vinci and two-time Rome winner Jelena Jankovic.
The 2008 French Open girls champion, broke to take a 2-1 lead in the first set, but Williams broke right back and cruised from there as she gained the measure of her opponent and began to win the longer rallies.
It's Azarenka's first final since beating Williams for the title in February at Doha, Qatar. That followed her Australian Open victory.
Since then, the Belarussian has been slowed by right ankle and left foot injuries.
The top-ranked American overcame an early break of her serve to ease past Romanian qualifier Simona Halep 6-3, 6-0 yesterday to reach the Italian Open final, extending her career-best winning run to 23 matches.
Williams is coming off consecutive titles in Miami, Charleston and Madrid last week.
In today's final in Rome, Williams will face third-seeded Victoria Azarenka, who kept her concentration through two rain delays to beat seventh-seeded Sara Errani of Italy 6-0, 7-5.
Williams' only title at this claycourt event came in 2002, when she beat Justine Henin in the final. That was also the year she won her only French Open title. Last year in Paris, Williams, a 15-time grand slam winner, lost in the opening round of a major for the first time, falling to 111th-ranked Virginie Razzano of France.
Roland Garros starts next Sunday.
"I love the clay. I haven't had many wins at Roland Garros but I do love it. I love to slide," Williams said. "My goal is just to win a match there this year."
Williams, 31, has twice won 21 in a row before, although both of those runs came a decade ago, in 2002 and 2003.
Martina Navratilova established the longest women's win run in the Open Era at 74 matches in 1984.
The 64th-ranked Halep entered with an impressive run herself, having beaten former top-10 player Daniela Hantuchova to qualify then 2009 French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the first round. That was followed in succession with wins over fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanksa, 13th seed Roberta Vinci and two-time Rome winner Jelena Jankovic.
The 2008 French Open girls champion, broke to take a 2-1 lead in the first set, but Williams broke right back and cruised from there as she gained the measure of her opponent and began to win the longer rallies.
It's Azarenka's first final since beating Williams for the title in February at Doha, Qatar. That followed her Australian Open victory.
Since then, the Belarussian has been slowed by right ankle and left foot injuries.
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