Azarenka Holds Off Wickmayer for Spot in Third Round

September 3, 2015 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff
Victoria_Azarenka (8)

Victoria Azarenka made her way into the U.S. Open third round on Thursday, defeating Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer 7-5, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The 20th seed from Belarus fell behind early, getting broken in her opening service game. But this set saw its share of break points, and after Azarenka got the advantage back, she broke yet again down 4-5 to stay in the set. After consolidating that with a hold of serve, a pumped up Azarenka broke one last time to take the opening set 7-5.

"I think in the tough moments, pressure moments, that's where I find my best game," said Azarenka. "I like to be in that battle and I like to test myself. Sometimes when things always go your way, it gets a little bit boring."

Overall, the first set was five breaks of serve, with Azarenka securing one more than Wickmayer to win the set.

In the second set, Azarenka converted on her first match point at 5-4 to close out Wickmayer and move onto the third round.

“I really had to fight back,” said Azarenka. “When somebody’s playing well, you just try to find a way.”

The two-time finalist moves on to play Angelique Kerber of Germany, a 7-5, 6-2 winner Thursday over Italy's Karin Knapp. Azarenka is undefeated in four career matches against Kerber, most recently earlier this year in Doha.

American Varvara Lepchenko notched another impressive win on Thursday, beating Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko 7-6(7), 6-2. Lepchenko came back from 2-5 down in the first set to move into the third-round and a matchup with Mona Barthel, a winner Thursday over Olga Govortsova, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. Lepchenko is 2-1 lifetime over Barthel, with their most recent meeting earlier this year in the quarterfinals of the Bank of the West Classic.

Sixteenth-seeded Italian Sara Errani fought back from a tough first set to advance, defeating Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 0-6, 6-4, 6-3. She will next play 22nd seeded Australian Samantha Stosur, who cruised past Evgeniya Rodina on Thursday, 6-1, 6-1.

“I’m very happy with the way I played,” said Stosur, the 2011 U.S. Open champion. “I thought I played great from start to finish.”

Andrea Petkovic advanced to the third round as well, downing Russia’s Elena Vesnina 6-3, 7-6(4). Petkovic will play Great Britain’s Johanna Konta next, after Konta upset ninth-seeded Spaniard and Wimbledon finalist Garbine Muguruza 7-6(4), 6-7(4), 6-2.


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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