Sharapova ousts Li, makes final
Source: Agencies |
October 7, 2012, Sunday
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TOP-RANKED Victoria Azarenka beat ninth-seeded Marion Bartoli 6-4, 6-2 at the China Open yesterday to set up a final against Maria Sharapova.
Sharapova cruised to a 6-4, 6-0 semifinal victory over seventh-seeded Li Na of China in the other semifinal.
Azarenka, who won her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January, was tested in the first set by Bartoli and her unorthodox style of play, but ran ahead to a 5-1 lead in the second set.
But Bartoli refused to allow Azarenka to serve out the match in the seventh game even though the Belarussian held a match point. Bartoli broke serve on a second opportunity when Azarenka hit a forehand long.
Azarenka took advantage of her next match point on Bartoli's serve in the eighth game.
Sharapova, who will be playing for her fourth title of the year, took 68-minutes to secure the first set. The Russian finally went ahead when Li, serving at 4-5, sailed a forehand long on a second set point in the 10th game.
Li saved the first set point in the opening set with a winning volley smash at 30-40, but made the forehand error two points later to lose her serve and the set.
Sharapova needed only 33 minutes to take the second set, winning 25 of the 34 points played.
"As far as today, it was a really high quality first set and a few ups and downs," Sharapova said. "I came back and then I broke her in that last game of the (first) set.
"It was important for me to take that momentum going into the second."
In men's semifinals, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France advanced to the final when Feliciano Lopez retired with a left wrist injury.
Tsonga was leading 6-1, 4-1 when the 30th-ranked Spaniard decided he could no longer continue playing. Tsonga will play top-seeded Novak Djokovic, who beat Florian Mayer of Germany 6-1, 6-4.
Djokovic leads Tsonga 7-5 in head-to-heads.
"He's a very powerful player, big serve, big forehand, and if that works he can win against anybody on any surface," Djokovic said of Tsonga.
In Tokyo, Milos Raonic of Canada outsted top-seeded Andy Murray to move into the final of the Japan Open, edging the defending champion 6-3, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4) yesterday.
Raonic, seeded 6th and ranked 15th, will meet Kei Nishikori in today's final after he routed unseeded Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus 6-2, 6-2 in just over one hour.
"Live and die by the serve. I'm not afraid to go for it on my second serve," Raonic said.
The Canadian has won two tournaments this year, triumphing in Chennai, India, and San Jose, California.
Sharapova cruised to a 6-4, 6-0 semifinal victory over seventh-seeded Li Na of China in the other semifinal.
Azarenka, who won her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January, was tested in the first set by Bartoli and her unorthodox style of play, but ran ahead to a 5-1 lead in the second set.
But Bartoli refused to allow Azarenka to serve out the match in the seventh game even though the Belarussian held a match point. Bartoli broke serve on a second opportunity when Azarenka hit a forehand long.
Azarenka took advantage of her next match point on Bartoli's serve in the eighth game.
Sharapova, who will be playing for her fourth title of the year, took 68-minutes to secure the first set. The Russian finally went ahead when Li, serving at 4-5, sailed a forehand long on a second set point in the 10th game.
Li saved the first set point in the opening set with a winning volley smash at 30-40, but made the forehand error two points later to lose her serve and the set.
Sharapova needed only 33 minutes to take the second set, winning 25 of the 34 points played.
"As far as today, it was a really high quality first set and a few ups and downs," Sharapova said. "I came back and then I broke her in that last game of the (first) set.
"It was important for me to take that momentum going into the second."
In men's semifinals, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France advanced to the final when Feliciano Lopez retired with a left wrist injury.
Tsonga was leading 6-1, 4-1 when the 30th-ranked Spaniard decided he could no longer continue playing. Tsonga will play top-seeded Novak Djokovic, who beat Florian Mayer of Germany 6-1, 6-4.
Djokovic leads Tsonga 7-5 in head-to-heads.
"He's a very powerful player, big serve, big forehand, and if that works he can win against anybody on any surface," Djokovic said of Tsonga.
In Tokyo, Milos Raonic of Canada outsted top-seeded Andy Murray to move into the final of the Japan Open, edging the defending champion 6-3, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4) yesterday.
Raonic, seeded 6th and ranked 15th, will meet Kei Nishikori in today's final after he routed unseeded Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus 6-2, 6-2 in just over one hour.
"Live and die by the serve. I'm not afraid to go for it on my second serve," Raonic said.
The Canadian has won two tournaments this year, triumphing in Chennai, India, and San Jose, California.
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