Indian Wells: Williams vs. Halep
Serena Williams takes on Simona Halep in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open.
Serena Williams takes on Simona Halep in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open.
Karolina Pliskova takes on Daria Kasatkina in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open.
Jelena Jankovic tries her hand at the WTA Frame Challenge.
INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Former No.1 Victoria Azarenka capped her return to the Top 10 with a second BNP Paribas Open title, outlasting top seed and 21-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.
The two-time Australian Open champion set down with WTA Insider to discuss forming the perfect team, believing in a career without limits, and the poignant reason why she has never been one to waste food.
WTA Insider: You’re the first player to do two Champion’s Corners, because we spoke after Brisbane. Are you still kind of basking in the glow of the win?
Azarenka: I’m very happy. I can’t say that I’m over the moon excited – maybe it didn’t sink in just yet – but I’m just very happy that I’m able to do whatever I want to do on the court. I can move the way I want to move, and see improvements in my game. I’m able to take whatever I’m working on in practice and bring it to the court. This is what gets me more excited, keeps me motivated, and seeing that it works against the best player in the world just brings a little bit extra to work even harder.
WTA Insider: Last year your season ended pretty roughly and you said you wanted to focus on fitness. Big payoff, but what were the toughest moments from that training bloc?
Azarenka: I can’t say there weren’t days that I didn’t want to want to lay down and maybe sleep a little longer. The training bloc was very important, but I think what got me to win here was that I kept working during and after the Australian Open. All this time I was setting little goals to improve whatever it is that I want to. I said in Australia, it’s going to be a process, and I still believe that I’m not there where I want to be. I’m getting there and I’m getting closer and I’m improving, but knowing that I could just be better gets me excited. That’s what helps me wake up in the morning and go after it. There is nothing else I want to do in life right now but give myself the best chance I can to be able to chase my dreams. Set my goals and go after them, and then we’ll see what happens. But I’ll know that I’m the best prepared I’ve ever been – mentally, physically, tennis-wise, tactical-wise – the best prepared. Whatever happens out there is more or less not in my control. But knowing that I’m prepared is the key.
WTA Insider: Do you think you’re more prepared now than in 2012?
Azarenka: I believe I’m a stronger, faster, and a smarter player. I find ways to win when some other things don’t work. I’ve improved my serve a lot. I’m mentally way happier, and I have people with whom I see no limitations. That’s also very important, to surround yourself with energy and with people who believe you have no limits, and not just trying to tell you how to stay the same.
WTA Insider: Talking about your renewed outlook, you seem happier and more zen than in the past. Do you feel like a happier outlook has been more positive for your game?
Azarenka: The difference is trying to find the balance. The off-court stuff, the preparation is something where I feel I’ve completely changed. I’m much more relaxed; I know what’s going to make me feel good. But on the court, I’m going to be a fearless, edgy self. I play with a lot of passion because that’s what makes me the best player. I’ve always said there is a difference between frustration and being angry. I think angry and pumped up is good for you; it gives you emotions. Once you get frustrated, you tip over into that bad side. That’s trouble, but being able to control and navigate your emotions, your body, how you feel, is a craft.
WTA Insider: Can you talk about your emotional evolution on the tennis court? How has time molded you into a better competitor?
Azarenka: I’ve always been a fighter, since a really young age. A fighter is something that I think I was born to be. I never give up at any stage.
WTA Insider: Are there stories your parents might have of you as a kid, where you feel you were born this way?
Azarenka: I think I was born this way, and where I came from, there was no other way. It was always, ‘If you want it, you have to fight for it.’ It’s as simple as being hungry. I had no food sometimes, and that’s something that to this day in my life, it leaves an impact on me. You will never see me not finish one of my meals. How you react to every situation as it’s happening in your life, is up to you. Whatever His plan is, I think is going to happen, but you are in control of how you want to handle it. I was struggling with injuries, mentally, with everything, but I was brave enough to do something about it. That sometimes scares people, because it’s not easy to dig down to all of your emotions and talk about that and be open about it. It’s hard, but once you do it, you realize it’s not that bad, and maybe you should do it more.
Nothing is going to happen if you win or lose; the world is not going to change. It can change for a little bit for your situation, for whatever, but it’s not going to change. Everybody’s going to remember it for a little bit and forget about it after. I learned for me to take care of what I want to do, where I want to go, and that’s it. I’m not trying to please someone who thinks what is right for me. Nobody will know what’s right for me better than I know. I think that, as a young player, it’s important to keep learning and to stay open-minded. But you should also have a strong stance on what you believe in, because that’s something that is in you and you have to apply that. But you have to be open-minded.
WTA Insider: What do you think is that kind of core belief that you think you’ve had to stick to in your career?
Azarenka: I think a difficult thing for women in general is that we get manipulated very easily. It happens a lot on the women’s tour – and it’s just my observation, I’m not going to talk specifically – where coaches try to teach you and put their philosophy on you. But I think a great coach and a great listener is one who is adapting to how you feel, and teaching you through that. That is something that I also had to learn, and what young people have to be aware of. Believe in what you think is right, because your first instinct is always right.
WTA Insider: Do you think that the Vika of five years ago was angrier than the Vika of today?
Azarenka: I felt whatever I didn’t feel was right, was wrong. That would make me frustrated because, ‘I wouldn’t do it that way.’ With time and with experience and a few burned hands, you understand that it’s not your way, it’s how you adapt to situations. If people don’t act in a way that you want them to, you can’t control that. I think that allowed me to show my emotions more, and I don’t believe I was an angry person. I just didn’t know how to react to what were, in my opinion, unfair situations. I think I didn’t understand it before, and thinking it wasn’t fair. The world is unfair, so you have to understand that.
WTA Insider: Your team is fairly unique with what are essentially two head coaches with Sascha and Wim. Can you talk about that set-up and how that’s allowed you to settle into your game?
Azarenka: I have a very strong personality, and I have very strong beliefs of what I think I have to do but, as I said, I’m very open-minded and am willing to listen. What they’ve done great is to listen to how I feel and suggest the things that can make me better. It’s a lot of teamwork; everybody has their own role to do whatever is necessary. Having people around you believe that you have no limits is great because they’re encouraging and pushing you to somewhere where you think, ‘I don’t know if I can get there.’ But you can when they’re really pushing you and believing in you.
They’re also not afraid to say whatever they don’t like; I always want honest in my team, because I can handle whatever comes my way as long as they’re honest. JP, my physio specifically, has been just a soldier; he taught me so much to learn on the court, off the court, the listen, to be present every time. So I’m very grateful for him because he really took me out of my injury, got me healthy, and then everyone started putting their pieces together to help me build a new me.
All photos courtesy of Getty Images.
What did the top seeds have to say before play began at the Miami Open? The WTA stars told all at the pre-tournament Media Day…
Serena Williams
On her New York Times Op-Ed on keeping the Miami Open in Miami…
This is the tournament that I’ve grown up coming to. Being a local, it’s so easy for me to go home, come here and it’s also been just so great to tennis for decades. So it’s just been a wonderful place to have this event.
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On “friendly rival” Victoria Azarenka’s return to the Top 10…
It’s really impressive. She’s been through a lot, a lot of disappointments, and obviously so many injuries. But she’s always been a really good player, and she’s just continued to prove that. She’s always been a big fighter as well. For me, I’m always excited to see the success of someone else, just to do well. It motivates me to do better, and I think we just have to always motivate each other. I think that’s exciting.
On equal prize money…
Women’s tennis is the biggest sport for women, period, stop, end all, done. Men’s tennis is probably not the biggest sport for men, but it’s still a huge sport. But you do have football, soccer, basketball. Every athlete, men and women, work extremely hard. I think it just boils down to, if I had two kids, I would never tell my son or my daughter that one deserves more because of their sex.
Simona Halep
On whether it’s harder to get to the Top 5 or stay there…
To get there is tough because first you have to win many matches, many tournaments in a row to get to the top. But to stay there, you have to repeat what you have done already. It’s tough, both of them, but that’s why it’s special to be in the Top 5, and that’s what I’m working hard for, to stay there.
On the Romanian fans who attend her matches…
Not only Romanians, also others! I want to thank them for their support. It’s amazing that they are coming always to support me, everywhere I go. I want to thank all the fans, actually, because it’s nice when I go out, they want my autograph or a picture with me. It’s nice. I’m enjoying this moment; I think it’s one of the best and I’m trying to be ok all the time but sometimes it’s tough. When you lose, it’s tough to smile. I’m trying to do it, stay close to them with Instagram and Facebook. But I’m not very good in that way. I’m trying just to stay relaxed, to thank them by playing my best when they come to see me.
Petra Kvitova
On how she plans to explore Miami…
I’ve been on the beach before I started practicing here; it was great. I’m planning some shopping as well. Of course, we are most of the time on the court, and on site, but if I find any time, it’s great to do something else.
On preparing for the Rio Olympics…
I just feel that the Olympic Games is just one more Grand Slam coming up. It’s as big a goal for me, definitely, and I will do my best over there as well. I’m not pretty sure what I can do there. I’m going to focus on tennis, definitely, and if I have time afterwards, I will watch some other sports probably.
Angelique Kerber
On the resurgence of tennis’ popularity in Germany…
It feels good because now I am seeing that tennis is going up again in Germany. Football is the biggest sport there, and I love to watch it; I’m a big football fan. It’s great to see, after Steffi Graf and Boris Becker, that now again the people are watching tennis and the focus is getting bigger on tennis again. This feels good and I’m proud that I am the person that makes tennis so popular again.
Agnieszka Radwanska
On the balancing her schedule with the Olympic experience…
I’m always trying to see other sports when I’m there, but sometimes it’s very tough with the schedule. You just go there and try to prepare as best you can. It’s not that easy to go somewhere, and when you’re done, you’re going to some other tournament, it’s not like any other sport where you’re done for a year. Next week, we have another tournament and three weeks later we have a Grand Slam. It’s never over for us, so it’s sometimes hard.
Belinda Bencic
On her adjustment to the WTA from juniors…
I don’t think it went really fast. At the start, I played a couple of tournaments, and then I went back to juniors, and then came back. It was like I already knew what was coming to me. I think you get used to it, and obviously, it’s great to be around all these champions and great players, and it was very inspiring for me. That’s why I felt quite good here, and I’m starting to really feel like I’m a part of this whole thing.
On her social media presence…
I think it’s nice to let the fans know what you’re doing off the court. When I was younger, I would also like to know what my idols were doing off the court, not always on.
All photos courtesy of Getty Images.
MIAMI, FL, USA – No.3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska sailed into the third round of the Miami Open with a straight set win over Alizé Cornet on Thursday afternoon.
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In a typically polished display, Radwanska pulled out all the usual party pieces to wrap up a 6-0, 6-1 victory in 68 minutes.
“I’m just very happy with that win, maybe the score was not showing everything that was happening on the court,” Radwanska said. “But I think it was a great start and a couple of tight games at the beginning of both sets was the key.”
Cornet’s appearance at Crandon Park came as a surprise to most, having announced only last month that she was set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines. And Radwanska certainly gave the Frenchwoman’s fitness a thorough examination, pulling her to all corners of the court.
By the start of the second set, Cornet cut a beleaguered figure. When she ballooned a forehand long to drop serve early on, it was a case of damage limitation. Radwanska was in no mood for charity, racing through the final four games to register her 18th win of the season.
“The first match [of the tournament] is always tricky and it doesn’t matter who you’re playing, that’s why I’m very happy to have such a good first match. Here today the conditions were really hot and humid. We all have to prepare for that and it’s not going to be easy in the next few days,” Radwanska added.
In the third round the Pole will face Madison Brengle, after she upset No.28 seed Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, 7-5, 6-4. “I think we’ve never played before so that’s always a challenge. I saw a bit of her matches this year and last year – a couple of good results for her.”
Also advancing in their section were Ana Ivanovic, who eased past Teliana Pereira, 6-3, 6-0, and Timea Bacsinszky, a 6-3, 6-1 winner over Margarita Gasparyan.
MIAMI, FL ,USA – Three of the top five seeds at the Miami Open will be in action on a busy Saturday at Crandon Park. We preview the must-see match-ups here.
Saturday, Third Round
Stadium
[3] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL #2) vs. Madison Brengle (USA #60)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: Radwanska leads the WTA in match wins in 2016 with 18.
Agnieszka Radwanska, the 2012 Miami Open champion, was flawless in her second-round trouncing of France’s Alizé Cornet, and that’s pretty much been the case for the Pole in all her early-round matches in 2016. The WTA’s match win leader has reached the semifinals at each event she has played this year and she’ll look to maintain this consistency against Delaware’s Madison Brengle. Brengle backed up her first-round win over Italy’s Camila Giorgi by notching a 7-5, 6-4 win over Anna Karolina Schmiedlova on Thursday to reach the third round at the Miami Open for the first time. “I think we’ve never played before so that’s always a challenge,” Radwanska said when asked about facing 25-year-old Brengle for the first time. “I saw a bit of her matches this year and last year – a couple of good results for her.” Brengle has indeed developed into a solid WTA-level player over the past 12 months, but she’s struggled to make ends meet against the tour’s top dogs, going just 3-17 lifetime against the Top 20.
Pick: Radwanska in two
[1] Serena Williams (USA #1) vs. Zarina Diyas (KAZ #97)
Head-to-head: Williams leads, 1-0
Key Stat: Williams dropped just two games in the pair’s one and only encounter.
Serena Williams found herself in a spot of trouble in the second round on Thursday, but the World No.1 managed to gut out the win against Christina McHale in three tough sets. Adjusting to the slower conditions in Miami after two weeks in the California desert is never easy, but with a hard-fought win under her belt Williams should be better acclimated when she takes on Zarina Diyas on Saturday. Diyas upset Daria Gavrilova in straight sets on Thursday, and has dropped just nine games in her first two matches this week, but in order to keep up the pace the 22-year-old will have to find a way to flummox the best player in the history of this tournament. Williams owns a 65-5 career record at Miami, and has a knack for getting better as the tournament progresses.
Pick: Williams in two
Grandstand
[8] Petra Kvitova (CZE #7) vs. [30] Ekaterina Makarova (RUS #31)
Head-to-head: Kvitova leads, 4-2
Key Stat: Kvitova made her best result in Miami in 2014 when she reached the quarterfinals.
After a poor start to 2016 is Petra Kvitova finally hitting her stride stateside? The World No.7 has claimed four of five matches since starting the season at a 2-6 clip, and she’ll search for one of the biggest wins of her season against a proven entity in Ekaterina Makarova. While Kvitova is finding her form, her fellow southpaw from Russia seems to be headed in the opposite direction. Makarova has gone just 2-5 since reaching the round of 16 at the Australian Open, with four of those losses coming in straight sets. When it comes to performing in Miami, however, Makarova has been steady in the past. The Russian has reached the round of 16 in three of the last four years here, while Kvitova has only been past the third round once in Miami.
Pick: Kvitova in three
[16] Ana Ivanovic (SRB #17) vs. [19] Timea Bacsinszky (SUI #20)
Head-to-head: Ivanovic leads, 2-1
Key Stat: Ivanovic had reached the round of 16 here four years running before losing to Sabine Lisicki in the third round last year.
Both Ana Ivanovic and Timea Bacsinszky are searching for character wins to build on in 2016, and their fourth career battle could be the perfect psychological tonic for Saturday’s eventual winner. Ivanovic and Bacsinszky have combined to go 1-6 against the Top 20 thus far this season, but the winner of this match will surely benefit from a bit of confidence that could spark the beginning of a deep run. The Serb leads the pair’s head-to-head by 2-1, but two of their three encounters have gone the distance. Bacsinszky has done a nice job of turning her season around in the last month. The Swiss has won five of seven after stumbling out of the gates to a 1-6 start. Will it be blossoming Bacsinszky who emerges, or will Ivanovic punch her ticket to the round of 16 with a much-needed win?
Pick: Ivanovic in three
Around the grounds…
Elina Svitolina and Caroline Wozniacki will meet for the first time on Saturday. Wozniacki has lost five of her last six matchups against Top 20 players, dating back to Wimbledon last year. Elsewhere, last year’s semifinalist Simona Halep will square off with Julia Goerges, and Svetlana Kuznetsova faces the gifted Caroline Garcia.
-Chris Oddo, wtatennis.com contributor
MIAMI, FL, USA – No.2 seed Angelique Kerber looked down and out in the third round of the Miami Open as former No.41 Kiki Bertens flew through the opening set, but the German held steady as the Dutch qualifier became visibly unwell, retiring from the contest just as the reigning Australian Open champion began playing her best tennis, 1-6, 6-2, 3-0, ret.
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Despite breaking to start the encounter, the World No.3 struggled throughout the early stages as Bertens powered through the opening set in emphatic style.
“I think Kiki’s a great player,” Kerber told Nick McCarvel during her on-court interview. “She played very well in the first set and I was not finding my rhythm at the beginning.
“But I was trying to stay in the match, trying to fight and play my game. At the end, of course, it’s always sad when the opponent retires; I hope she gets very well very soon, but I’m happy to be in the next round.”
Bertens took a medical timeout early in the second set, suffering from a GI Illness that has caused several players problems through the first few rounds of the tournament. The 24-year-old nonetheless continued to push Kerber before the German broke away with back-to-back service breaks to level the match.
“For me, it’s not so easy,” Kerber admitted when asked about dealing with the knowledge that her opponent is under the weather. “But I’m trying to focus on my game, doing my stuff and not looking too much over the net.
“I think that helps me to stay in my rhythm and keep my focus.”
Up next for Kerber is another big-hitting youngster in Timea Babos; the Hungarian reached her first round of 16 at a Premier Mandatory with a 7-5, 6-0 win over Japanese wildcard Naomi Osaka.
Babos had enjoyed a solid start to the season but had lost back-to-back opening rounds in Monterrey and Indian Wells; a thrilling three-set victory over BNP Paribas Open semifinalist Karolina Pliskova propelled her to an even stronger level against Osaka, who rallied from 5-2 down in the opening set but was ultimately over-awed by her more experienced opponent, who made her WTA Finals debut in Singapore last fall.
“I had such a tough match against Karo Pliskova and it was good to have a day off yesterday and get ready for today’s match,” Babos said after the match. “I knew it would be a tricky one. She’s a big hitter. It was very difficult, especially in the first set. It was really powerful tennis and she was acing me a lot.
“But I guess at key moments, I was playing better, being more solid but aggressive at the same time. In the second set I found my game even more and I’m really happy to finish this way.”
Briefly the ace leader following a strong Australian summer and Middle East swing, Babos, now second behind Naomi Broady, credits a coaching change to Thomas Drouet – who helped Marion Bartoli to the Wimbledon title in 2013 – with her impressive rise in the rankings.
“Since November, I jumped around 40 spots, so it’s been a consistent improvement and I’m really happy. We’ve been working a lot in the two years since I changed coaches. Already, last year I had better results, but it’s also easier to start from the main draw and not be in qualifying all the time.
“I used to have to do a lot just to play big tournaments, where I’d be in main draw for doubles but qualies for singles. So now it also helps that I can be fresher, but now I have more belief and really enjoy playing.”
Babos has never beaten Kerber in three previous meetings, but their lone hardcourt encounter went to three sets back in 2012 – a mere weeks after Kerber herself had reached the final four at Wimbledon. Winning her first WTA main draw matches since the Australian Open, Kerber told the crowd about reuniting with childhood idol Steffi Graf when she practiced with her and husband Andre Agassi during a mid-match training week in Las Vegas.
It was a similar session 52 weeks ago that the former No.2 believes took her to new heights in 2015, culminating with her major title in Melbourne.
“I went there for a few days and practiced a few days there. It’s always an amazing feeling and an honor to be on court with both champions, to play with them and speak witht them. It’s always a great experience for me and I hope here I will play good and that it’ll help me a little bit for the next few tournaments.”
Point of the match!@AngeliqueKerber running ALL over the court!! #WTA https://t.co/m7fKUYPuar
— WTA (@WTA) March 27, 2016
The top half of the draw will be whittled down to two semifinalists after today’s action in Miami. Here’s a breakdown of the matchups.
Tuesday, Quarterfinals
[15] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS #19) vs. [30] Ekaterina Makarova (RUS #31)
Head-to-head: Kuznetsova leads, 5-1
Key Stat: At 30, Kuznetsova is the oldest player remaining in the draw.
After ending Serena Williams’ 20-match Miami win streak on Monday, Svetlana Kuznetsova’s big task on Tuesday will be to put her feet back on the ground so that she may focus on the next task at hand. It might not be easy, given the character of the Russian’s emotional win over the World No.1. “I have so many people saying congratulations I feel like I won the title already,” joked Kuznetsova after recording her first win over a reigning World No.1 since the 2009 Roland Garros final (d. Safina). When she comes back to earth, Kuznetsova will head into her quarterfinal against compatriot Ekaterina Makarova with confidence to burn. She has won the pair’s last four tilts in straight sets, and is a former Miami Open champion who doesn’t mind the sweltering conditions at Key Biscayne. But Makarova is in good form as well, having knocked off Top 20 opponents in consecutive matches for the first time in over a year to reach her maiden Miami Open quarterfinal.
Pick: Kuznetsova in three
[5] Simona Halep (ROU #5) vs. [19] Timea Bacsinszky (SUI #20)
Head-to-head: Halep leads, 2-0 (1-0 at Tour-level)
Key Stat: Bacsinszky recorded her fourth career Top 5 win (first Top 3) on Monday (4-13 overall).
Two players rounding into peak form will clash in a must-see quarterfinal on Tuesday, and while Simona Halep will come in as the favorite against 26-year-old Timea Bacsinszky, expect the Swiss to come out hungry for a shot of revenge. The last time Bacsinszky attempted to win back-to-back matches against Top 5 opponents she was shut down by Halep in the 2015 Shenzhen Open final, where she only managed four games. On Monday, Bacsinszky reached her first career quarterfinal at Miami with a gritty comeback against Agnieszka Radwanska, impressively wrestling control of the match from the World No.2 after a nervous start. Halep, who has won all six sets she’s played in Miami, should prove to be a tougher matchup for Bacsinszky. Many players struggle to contend with the Swiss’ world-class backhand, but the Romanian is such an exceptional mover, and so steady from both wings, that she should be able to weather the storm in the backhand rallies so that she may exploit the Swiss’ less steady forehand wing.
Pick: Halep in three
-Chris Oddo, wtatennis.com contributor
MIAMI, FL, USA – For so long her Achilles heel, Victoria Azarenka’s serve has become a real weapon of late.
It is an improvement that, allied with her exceptional returning, has helped the Belarusian re-establish herself as a contender at the game’s flagship events; in Indian Wells, she outplayed Serena Williams to collect her biggest title since being crowned Australian Open champion, and earlier this week in Miami she got the better of the next generation’s brightest star, Garbiñe Muguruza, over two enthralling sets.
Pivotal to her success against Muguruza was the serve. The statistics made pleasant reading for the Azarenka camp, nine aces and a solitary double fault helping her win 58 of 83 (69%) points on serve – WTA leader Serena Williams’ 2016 figure is 66.4%* – and restrict the Spaniard to two breaks.
“I think it was a high-quality match for both of us. It was a lot of good striking, a lot of winners, and both of us taking opportunities,” Azarenka said in her post-match press conference. “I think today I served really well, and I played to win in important moments. Momentum shifting, I think I was a little better today.”
The story was a similar one in the Indian Wells final, where her approach and execution withstood the sternest of examinations from one of the best returners in the history of the sport. Williams carved out 12 break points (three times as many as Azarenka) yet could convert only one.
“Well, I have to go for it. She’s not a type of player that if you going to play safe she’s going to give it to you or she’s going to miss,” the 26-year-old said afterwards. “You really have to go out there and take away, because there is nothing coming easy.
“My mentality was just to stay calm, do what I think is right, play aggressive, play my game, and figure it out from there. I just really try to stay in the moment. Whatever I can do, you know, whatever the score is, the next-best point what I can play.”
This unflappability bears stark contrast to previous seasons, when Azarenka’s serve often unraveled at the most inopportune of moments. Nowhere was this more apparent than during her encounter with Williams at last year’s Mutua Madrid Open. Leading 6-5, 40-0 in the final set, Azarenka fell to pieces, double faulting three times to precipitate a dramatic collapse that culminated in tie-break heartache.
Similar problems would haunt her for the rest of the campaign, which featured more false dawns than she would care to remember. Charged with finding a solution was coach Wim Fissette, who targeted cheap gains as crucial to improving his charge’s fortunes.
“I worked a lot on my serve to be able to create easier serving games and going for my shots, developing power speed, and now need to work a little bit more on accuracy,” Azarenka said after her Indian Wells victory over Samantha Stosur, a match in which she struck a healthy 10 aces.
In her Hawk-Eye tracked matches in 2015, Azarenka was averaging 96mph on her first serve and 84mph on the second. While her service speed has not risen noticeably in 2016 – she is averaging 100mph and 86mph on first and second serves, respectively – there has been a marked jump in the number of points won – 66% compared to 55% in 2015.
The knock-on effect has been a more confident player, better equipped to make that long-overdue charge up the rankings: “I think I’m a better player right now just the way I handle myself on the court. I improved a lot my serve and just stronger in the tougher moments. I feel happier on the court, so that’s very important, to be able to go out there and perform in a difficult fight.
“I think my game is developing with pretty big progress right now, and that’s what I’m most happy about, is being able to add a little bit more every time I play. That’s for me the main goal of this season, to keep improving.”
* Information accurate as of March 21, 2016
