Top-Ranked Azarenka Advances to Quarterfinals of 2012 Qatar Open

February 17, 2012 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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Fresh off last month’s win at the 2012 Australian Open, top-ranked Russian Victoria Azarenka has defeated Simona Halep of Romania in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1 to advance to the 2012 Qatar Open quarterfinals. Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic also held back Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova by a score of 7-6, 6-3. Australia’s Samantha Stosur defeated Petra Cetkovska of the Czech Republic in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, in the third round. Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland saved two set points in the first and held back Varvara Lepchenko of the U.S., 7-6, 6-1. American Christina McHale now goes up against Radwanska in the quarters after defeating Shahar Peer of Israel, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Azarenka was down 3-1 against Halep, and rolled off eight consecutive wins to lead 3-0 in the second set. She finished the match with a break with a down the line forehand winner.

“I never played her before, so I was adjusting a little bit to her game style. I don’t think I really played the right way those first, like, three games, four games,” Azarenka said. “But then I started to get my rhythm more and, you know, putting more pressure on.”

Radwanska had a tough match up against Lepchenko. She was able to save two set points and then fought back to win the next two games to take the first set. Lepchenko finished the match with 37 unforced errors whereas Radwanska had just 10.

Stosur will now play Romanian Monica Niculescu, who defeated Ukranian Kateryna Bondarenko, 7-6, 6-4.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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