Azarenka's firm game defeats Hon in straight sets

Victoria Azarenka brought her best back to the hard courts at the Adelaide International against Priscila Hon. 

Victoria Azarenka played another fine performance at the Adelaide International Thursday. A straight-sets victory against Priscilla Hon moved the Belorussian through to the quarterfinal with a 6-3, 7-5 score on centre court at the Memorial Drive Tennis Centre. It gave her back-to-back impressive wins with a game-style performance that is normally seen midseason. 

After a glorious start to her 2022 season, Azarenka looked ahead to meeting with the Australian for the first time. The Belorussian’s victory over eighth-ranked Paula Badosa, who won only five combined games in the straight-sets result. With the 32-year-old notching a top ten win in her first match of the year, she wished for more and would target Hon from start to finish. The 23-year-old showed a lot of spunk and impressed many in her big defeat of Petra Kvitova. Though she went three sets against the Czech, it brewed confidence strong enough to test the likes of a former world number one.  

Hon opened the scoring with a trade of points between herself and Azarenka. An ace placed her in a spot to seal up the service, getting it on a long return from the Belorussian. The 32-year-old made sure to stay out front during her service game and cap the score even. The young Australian was forced to deuce in the third but managed to find her place near the net and close out the win from there. 

After six games elapsed in the set, Azarenka found herself controlling the scoreboard. Her strong game win in the fourth was followed by a break to love of Hon. She went on to back it up, carrying a three-game winning streak. Azarenka tried to continue her intensity against the service of Hon, but the Aussie managed to force deuce and snap the short slide she was on. It didn’t take anything from Azarenka, who returned to serve dominantly and broke Hon for the set that took 38 minutes for her to accomplish.

The former world number one outplayed her on shots from the serve and made just nine unforced errors compared to Hon’s 19. Their game was even on other fronts, but as the first game of the second set got underway, Azarenka was there rushing through her service. She had Hon struggling while she remained consistent on the other side of the ball. It resulted in the second break of serve on the day, but in the third, the 23-year-old broke back and backed it up with a hold in the following game. 

Azarenka tried to get out front and keep Hon back but the wild card struck back to keep things even after six games. Azarenka had enough of her opponent being close to her and notched the serve in the seventh. The Belorussian had chances to break Hon and sit a game from the match, but errors caused her to lose control and level Hon back. She made up for lost ground and sealed the ninth to ensure her a shot at defeating the Australian. 

Hon denied her that chance and forced a five-all tie, pressing an opportunity at forcing a third set. Azarenka struggled to get it locked down on her first chance with a net-front return going sour. She didn’t miss on her second try and hoped that with one game left in the second would be the clincher. Hon gave in and set up Azarenka with two match points that came on a final error in the 12^th completing 1 hour and 27 minutes. 

“I felt like I played well but there were some occasions where I kind of got myself into trouble with hesitation, but I have to give it to Priscilla,” Azarenka said after the match. “She really defended well and got me into that mode of not committing fully but glad to finish strong.”

She’ll need to bring everything into the last eight when she takes on defending champion Iga Swiatek. “I think she feels pretty comfortable here,” said the Belorussian. “We had an interesting match in the past so I’m looking forward to that battle.”