Azarenka wins, no sister act for Radwanska
Source: Agencies |
May 30, 2013, Thursday
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DOUBLE Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka reached the French Open second round yesterday but Agnieszka Radwanska's hopes of playing little sister Urszula for a place in the last 16 were dashed.
Filling a mostly empty stadium court with her familiar shrieks, Azarenka clinched a 6-1, 6-4 win over Elena Vesnina - her fifth win in five matches against the Russian - and will next face German 19-year-old Annika Beck, the 2012 junior champion.
Roland Garros has been Azarenka's least successful grand slam.
Having reached at least the semifinals of the other three majors, the 23-year-old's best run in Paris saw her make the last eight in 2009 and 2011.
But she was relatively untroubled yesterday against the experienced Vesnina, with whom she reached the final of the women's doubles in 2009.
Breaks in the second and sixth games of the opening set gave her the foundation for victory in a match held over from Tuesday because of rain.
She was 2-1 up with a break in the second before the 28-year-old Vesnina rallied to level at 3-3.
But it was a brief respite for the world No. 38 as Azarenka hit back straightaway to seal the tie after 78 minutes.
"It felt good to be on the court after getting cancelled yesterday," said Azarenka. "It was a good win as Elena is a really tough opponent.
"I will be back tomorrow to play again but I want to be able to slide better on the clay, especially on the left foot as well as the right. That's my goal this year."
Polish fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanksa, who has never got beyond the fourth round, eased past Mallory Burdette of the United States 6-3, 6-2.
She had been scheduled to tackle her sister for a place in the last 16, but Urszula, who put out Venus Williams in the first round, crashed out 3-6, 3-6 to German qualifier Dinah Pfizenmaier, the world No. 127.
In other first-round matches, No. 7 Petra Kvitova outlasted wildcard Aravane Rezai of France, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, and No. 12 Maria Kirilenko beat fellow Russian Nina Bratchikova 6-0, 6-1. No. 23 Klara Zakopalova lost to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 6-7 (3), 2-6. Peng Shuai of China eased past Camila Giorgi 6-4, 6-2.
In men's second-round play, No. 4 David Ferrer broke serve eight times and beat fellow Spaniard Albert Montanes 6-2, 6-1, 6-3. No. 10 Marin Cilic defeated 18-year-old Australian Nick Kyrgios 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
No. 24 Benoit Paire of France defeated Marcos Baghdatis in a rain-interrupted first-round match, 3-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-4.
Filling a mostly empty stadium court with her familiar shrieks, Azarenka clinched a 6-1, 6-4 win over Elena Vesnina - her fifth win in five matches against the Russian - and will next face German 19-year-old Annika Beck, the 2012 junior champion.
Roland Garros has been Azarenka's least successful grand slam.
Having reached at least the semifinals of the other three majors, the 23-year-old's best run in Paris saw her make the last eight in 2009 and 2011.
But she was relatively untroubled yesterday against the experienced Vesnina, with whom she reached the final of the women's doubles in 2009.
Breaks in the second and sixth games of the opening set gave her the foundation for victory in a match held over from Tuesday because of rain.
She was 2-1 up with a break in the second before the 28-year-old Vesnina rallied to level at 3-3.
But it was a brief respite for the world No. 38 as Azarenka hit back straightaway to seal the tie after 78 minutes.
"It felt good to be on the court after getting cancelled yesterday," said Azarenka. "It was a good win as Elena is a really tough opponent.
"I will be back tomorrow to play again but I want to be able to slide better on the clay, especially on the left foot as well as the right. That's my goal this year."
Polish fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanksa, who has never got beyond the fourth round, eased past Mallory Burdette of the United States 6-3, 6-2.
She had been scheduled to tackle her sister for a place in the last 16, but Urszula, who put out Venus Williams in the first round, crashed out 3-6, 3-6 to German qualifier Dinah Pfizenmaier, the world No. 127.
In other first-round matches, No. 7 Petra Kvitova outlasted wildcard Aravane Rezai of France, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, and No. 12 Maria Kirilenko beat fellow Russian Nina Bratchikova 6-0, 6-1. No. 23 Klara Zakopalova lost to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 6-7 (3), 2-6. Peng Shuai of China eased past Camila Giorgi 6-4, 6-2.
In men's second-round play, No. 4 David Ferrer broke serve eight times and beat fellow Spaniard Albert Montanes 6-2, 6-1, 6-3. No. 10 Marin Cilic defeated 18-year-old Australian Nick Kyrgios 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
No. 24 Benoit Paire of France defeated Marcos Baghdatis in a rain-interrupted first-round match, 3-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-4.
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