Catherine Bellis had a bad beat in the main draw at the Miami Open Wednesday afternoon. Despite all her efforts to fight an even battle against Victoria Azarenka, she fell into a shutout in the second set handing the win for the three time champion 6-3, 6-0 on Stadium Court at Crandon Park Tennis Center. It was the second first round win for the Belorussian in her second tournament of the season getting things started on a strong note.
The two met last year at Wimbledon where the players took the match to three sets before the Belorussian came out victorious. The former number one’s attempt to get back into the sport have not been easy despite winning her first match back at Indian Wells. Though she lost in the next round to Sloane Stephens, the 29-year old’s ability to play tennis without legal restrictions have her back in Miami to fight for a fourth title. Bellis returned missing the 2017 tournament with the hope that she could hold back the returning superstar and best her third-round finish three seasons back.
She started things with a good hold of serve before attacking for the opening break. The wind began and Azarenka’s forehand began to make that possible but the 29-year-old fought to stay in contention early. They went three breaks together before the Belorussian remained vigilant on her own service game to hold back the American. A break opportunity came to her in the next game as Bellis’s forehand gave her trouble. Azarenka’s hesitation to move during a rally saved Bellis for a moment but watched the door close on the second break.
She got it during the fourth game but saw her offense take another tumble as she committed a third double fault in the next game. Azarenka was back in front on the score keeping up with the breaks before consolidating the sixth with allowing Bellis just one point before ending the final rally with a net hit game winner. With the deficit widening for teen, she began to make the Belorussian run for the returns with good quality strikes. The good moments ended for her as Azarenka saved the game to deuce and won it to take a 5-2 stance.
Bellis avoided the set from ending in the eighth as she battled to stay alive against the Belorussian. Her opponent did not commit on serving for the set created errors from her end that extended things for a time. An attacking offense from Azarenka in the ninth on serve had Bellis under pressure that ultimately finished her quest for a comeback in 40 minutes. Anibal Aranda came out during the break giving Bellis ways of dealing with her errors and get deep into the rallies on both sides of the game. She and Azarenka both had 13 unforced errors and issues with the second serve but the difference on winners held firm with the 29-year-old who had the step up.
She opened the second set with a strong showing on the forehand that beat Bellis as well as the very next game. The good start that gave Azarenka a 2-0 run gave her a consistent amount of confidence that build up her ground strokes and controlled aggression. The first double break went in favor of the Belorussian who had the elements of her game going right while the American struggled with adding more energy on serve while dealing with the humidity.
It turned into a runaway for the former number one as she clearly played like one adding a second ace that led her to a 4-0 score. She added a third in the fifth that had her one game down from putting the match away swiftly. The 18-year-old served to stay alive in the match trying to stave off the bagel but faced the continuing onslaught from Azarenka. She pulled off a shot to force deuce but two double faults gave the 29-year-old match point. A long return kept the young American alive for a moment but the second match point attempt held firm to close out the day in 66 minutes.
“I’m very happy with today’s performance,” Azarenka said to Andrew Krasny after the match. “First matches are always tough and I haven’t played in such a long time but to able to keep the intensity throughout the whole match without dropping the level was really good and I’m very happy about that. I’m such a perfectionist and I want to do better and better and keep working on the things that weren’t so good today but overall I have to be glad of today’s performance.”
Azarenka will hope for more as the second round has her pitted against US Open finalist Madison Keys on Friday.
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