Bartoli ousted, Sharapova survives in Stanford
Source: Agencies |
August 1, 2010, Sunday
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VICTORIA Azarenka overcame a slow start to upset defending champion Marion Bartoli 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, California, on Friday.
The Belarussian was joined in the last four by top seed Samantha Stosur, who battled to a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 win over Belgian Yanina Wickmayer, Russian fifth seed Maria Sharapova and Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska.
Sharapova ended second- seeded compatriot Elena Dementieva's comeback tournament with a marathon 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 victory in a late match that lasted two hours and 47 minutes.
She advances to face third seed Radwanska, who eased past Sharapova's friend and compatriot Maria Kirilenko 7-5, 6-0.
While the fourth-seeded Bartoli is ranked higher than the eighth-seeded Azarenka, the 20-year-old Belarussian had beaten the Frenchwoman in their three previous meetings so the outcome was not a surprise.
Bartoli got off to a terrific start, powering her groundstrokes to the corners to forge a 6-3, 3-1 lead and appeared well set for a routine victory.
However, after Azarenka fought hard to hold serve in the next game, the tide turned completely and she reeled off seven straight games with a forceful attack.
Bartoli tried to regain control late in the third set but Azarenka mixed deft drop shots with laser-precision backhands and broke her opponent to win the match on a forehand error.
Later, Bartoli told reporters that Azarenka's loud grunts had distracted her.
"It's difficult to play against those kinds of players," Bartoli said. "It's fine to grunt sometimes when you make an effort, but sometimes it's just so loud."
Azarenka said that she had been grunting since she began to play tennis and was not the only player who could be distracting.
Azarenka will next face Australian Stosur, who had to come back from an early break in the third set to repel the athletic Wickmayer.
Sharapova was given a stern lecture by coach Michael Joyce after losing the second set and immediately benefited from a riskier brand of tennis in the decider.
She broke for a 5-3 lead when the second seed, playing her first tournament since she was sidelined by a calf injury at the French Open early last month, doubled-faulted and won the match with a screaming forehand winner.
The Belarussian was joined in the last four by top seed Samantha Stosur, who battled to a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 win over Belgian Yanina Wickmayer, Russian fifth seed Maria Sharapova and Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska.
Sharapova ended second- seeded compatriot Elena Dementieva's comeback tournament with a marathon 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 victory in a late match that lasted two hours and 47 minutes.
She advances to face third seed Radwanska, who eased past Sharapova's friend and compatriot Maria Kirilenko 7-5, 6-0.
While the fourth-seeded Bartoli is ranked higher than the eighth-seeded Azarenka, the 20-year-old Belarussian had beaten the Frenchwoman in their three previous meetings so the outcome was not a surprise.
Bartoli got off to a terrific start, powering her groundstrokes to the corners to forge a 6-3, 3-1 lead and appeared well set for a routine victory.
However, after Azarenka fought hard to hold serve in the next game, the tide turned completely and she reeled off seven straight games with a forceful attack.
Bartoli tried to regain control late in the third set but Azarenka mixed deft drop shots with laser-precision backhands and broke her opponent to win the match on a forehand error.
Later, Bartoli told reporters that Azarenka's loud grunts had distracted her.
"It's difficult to play against those kinds of players," Bartoli said. "It's fine to grunt sometimes when you make an effort, but sometimes it's just so loud."
Azarenka said that she had been grunting since she began to play tennis and was not the only player who could be distracting.
Azarenka will next face Australian Stosur, who had to come back from an early break in the third set to repel the athletic Wickmayer.
Sharapova was given a stern lecture by coach Michael Joyce after losing the second set and immediately benefited from a riskier brand of tennis in the decider.
She broke for a 5-3 lead when the second seed, playing her first tournament since she was sidelined by a calf injury at the French Open early last month, doubled-faulted and won the match with a screaming forehand winner.
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