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| Victoria Azarenka on the clay since finishing the US Open at the Italian Open against Venus Willams Wednesday. |
After coming so close to winning her first US Open, the 31-year-old met against the veteran for the second time this season and eighth overall. Williams won their most recent meetings with one dating back to Lexington during the pandemic. With the situation slightly different in Rome, both players would have to get used to sliding under their feet during play. Azarenka’s accomplishments being a mother in professional tennis is nothing short of impressive as her new ranking of 14 reflects. A win over Williams would not only make her 12th appearance a happy one but hopefully begin a new winning streak.
She opened with a good service hold in the first as the transition and jet lag didn’t seem to bother. She proved that in the second breaking Williams and consolidated both wins with another hold. The American found her niche in the fourth holding Azarenka to love and reaching a six-point streak before the 31-year-old dug into the game.
On breakpoint, Williams fought for the victory but her opponent got into the rally that came close to the net. It was a fight with each other’s lobs but in the end, Azarenka scored her way to deuce. Unfortunately, her efforts turned into a double fault and error that gave Williams the break back. Another terrific serve from Williams leveled her with Azarenka in the sixth. With the gap closed, the world number 14 had to get back on track and let her skills do the work on both sides.
She stepped out to 4-3 and soon caught a break on Williams miscue on the return, earning her chance at serving for the set. Showing no signs of fatigue, Azarenka fought to contain the eighth but errors gave Williams the edge and soon after, the break. With an opportunity to force the set onward, Williams overcame a deficit saving a set point to Azarenka before a big forehand serve forced one last error to win the AD point.
The set continued to bubble as Azarenka found herself under attack in the 11th with Williams dictating a way to force deuce. After two breaks, she scored the key break to serve for the set in the 12th. Frustrations were getting the best of the Belorussian as she was more than vocal during the sit down. A scream on a lost point was forced out by Azarenka, but a lob was her way to responding into the game.
She achieved double break point and held just long enough to win on Williams third double fault. This was just the second tiebreak they played in their series and Azarenka opened it with a point won on serve. She held the lead after five points while each held serve. Back to back minibreaks on Williams made it 5-2 but a missed placement for the 31-year-old shortened the gap to two.
Williams fought back to make it five-all on serve but the rage from Azarenka kept them even. It wasn’t that way for long as a ball from Williams landed long giving the 31-year-old set point and another giving her the first in one hour and eight minutes.
Azarenka started the second with a break and service hold but notching her first double break wasn’t in the near future. Instead, she widened the gap between herself and Williams with a 4-1 lead with a break. Frustrations got the best of the Belorussian that led Williams to seize a break opportunity and sit two games back. The seventh became another tense moment between the two as each wanted another victory. They went to deuce on Azarenka’s key point before playing it nine times. The recent US Open final brought the longest game of the match to a close for the double break.
Serving for the match, Azarenka fell behind with a fifth double fault but managed to recover lost ground. A third straight long ball from Williams handed the world number 14 match point which clinched the victory in just over two hours with another long return from the American. Despite not being a flawless victory, she’ll need to be close to that as Sofia Kenin becomes the next American in her path while in Rome.
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