Victoria Azarenka remained on a solid level at the US Open Saturday night. In a fight against Iga Swiatek at Louis Armstrong Stadium, the former world number one turned the match at the right time and capture a ninth consecutive match win 6-4, 6-1 at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center.
The two never met before making it important for both Europeans but even more for the Polish star. Swiatek made the second-round last year and with a victory over Sachia Vickery, the teen looked to try and take down Azarenka who was on fire. The 31-year-old held an eight-match winning streak, holding her last two bouts in straight sets. The surprise was against her compatriot Aryna Sabalenka, who had a bad day with her game and never recovered against the former number one. Swiatek would need to rely on a quick start and defensive tactics to find her way through the former two-time US Open finalist.
Swiatek broke her to love in the opening game and took a well-earned two-game lead fending off the Belorussian on deuce. Azarenka got on the board in the third and anted up in the fourth when she attacked the Pole. It was the start of the longest game of the set as they went seven breaks where it took a fourth breakpoint for the 31-year-old to level. Swiatek brought her fight in the following game but failed on two breakpoints.
Azarenka made her pay with another break holding her back early in the game for the lead. Swiatek broke back making sure she stayed in tow with her opponent. After a four-all tie, the unseeded superstar held her end and went for the shot at taking the set. Gaining two set points on Swiatek, Azarenka went on to cruise to a 1-0 hold after 55 minutes. Despite committing three double faults and 14 unforced errors, the 19 winners for the forehand helped keep her out front in the late stages.
Swiatek didn’t let the gap between her and Azarenka be a bother and she broke the opening game to love. Azarenka answered back with a break back and nearly blew another service game. Double faults wrecked the start of the third but a comeback on deuce allowed her to lead 2-1. Azarenka made it three in a row, consolidating her service game with a double break of Swiatek.
The teen broke back the Belorussian but still couldn’t contain her service giving the indication that her opponent found the gear to make it to the finish. A hold to love put her at 5-2 with Swiatek trying to hold serve against the resurgent Azarenka who won the last six of seven points. In the eighth game, Swiatek had a 30-0 run until a bad drop shot opened the door for her opponent. Azarenka’s signature crosscourt returns rattled the 19-year-old who erred, giving the Belorussian match point.
She denied her the chance to end it, ripping a crosscourt forehand that brought up deuce for the Pole. The two went four breaks where a forced error from Swiatek brought up a third match point. A rally that went nine shots ended with the Pole driving a forehand into the net completing another victory for the 31-year-old that took 1 hour and 39 minutes to accomplish.
“I felt that I did a good job turning the match around,” said Azarenka during her on-court interview. “She came out firing the balls and I always feel like I get an adaptation period where I don’t know how my points play. She is so talented and I was really impressed but I was glad I was able to turn it around and feel like I managed to go through pretty strong.”
Azarenka improved to 37-12 in US Open competition and would try to continue the long winning streak in her 50th match facing Karolina Muchova in the round of 16.
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