By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Victoria Azarenka defeated Johanna Konta, 6-4, 6-2, scoring her 11th straight win to power into the Miami Open semifinals.
Photo credit: Miami Open
Pouncing from a low crouch, Victoria Azarenka's return stance made her look like a sprinter poised to explode out of the blocks.
Azarenka hit her stride in the latter stages of the first set and sped past Johanna Konta, 6-4, 6-2, scoring her 11th straight win to surge into the Miami Open semifinals.
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"She's such a great player," Azarenka told ESPN's Mary Joe Fernandez afterward. "I couldn't quite get a reading on her serve in the beginning. It was tough for me to adjust. I got a little bit lower and tried to make as many returns as I could. She's a great player and we're going to be seeing a lot more of her."
The same is true of the former world No. 1, who is through to her third semifinal of the season.
Continuing her quest to join Steffi Graf (1994, 1996) and Kim Clijsters (2005) as the third woman to complete the coast-to-coast Indian Wells-Miami title sweep, Azarenka will play either Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber or 22nd-seeded American Madison Keys for a spot in the final.
Azarenka, who is projected to rise to No. 6 in the new WTA rankings by virtue of her semifinal performance, raised her record to 20-1 on the season. Her lone loss came to Kerber in the Australian Open quarterfinals.
The scary aspect for opponents?
Azarenka believes she is "far from my best."
"I never doubt my abilities. What came to my mind is definitely after being for so long injured, the doubt was to get healthy," Azarenka told the media afterward. "So always been a little bit on my mind. But I still feel that I'm far from my best, and that's what's really exciting for me, to be motivated, to keep improving. Everybody has doubts. We're human beings. I always trust my ability and I believe in myself."
The 23rd-ranked Konta took the court having won 37 of her last 47 matches since Wimbledon, including a Wuhan victory over Azarenka last fall.
Little separated the pair in an opening set that crackled with some crunching baseline rallies.
A forehand volley gave Azarenka double break point, but Konta erased the first on an error and stood her ground on the second winning a tremendous 22-shot rally with a forehand pass. Undeterred, Azarenka blasted a forehand return back at Konta for a third break point and broke for 4-3 on a double fault into net.
In the eighth game, Konta nearly broke back. In fact, for a moment she had the break, but a challenge and Hawk-Eye replay showed her shot missed the back of the baseline by a sliver. Azarenka made the most of the reversal holding on for 5-3.
Serving for the set at 30-all, Azarenka stepped in and zipped a diagonal backhand winner for set point. She lined a forehand into the net trying to change direction down the line.
Rarely is Azarenka consistently challenged in backhand exchanges, but Konta cracked her two-hander with ambition in the first set. A sharp-angled backhand crosscourt gave her break point. Azarenka saved it, but Konta curled a tremendous forehand winner down the line for her second break point of the game and fourth of the set.
Azarenka again lifted her level opening the court with a forehand down the line followed by a forehand winner. A poor drop shot sat up, Azarenka swopped in and knocked off the winner for a second set point. When Konta put a backhand into net, Azarenka bent over and erupted with an extended "come on!" collecting a high-quality and hard-fought opening set in 58 minutes.
Despite winning two more points that the Indian Wells champion in the sent, Konta was down a set. She was soon down a deeper hole, donating the break and a 2-1 second-set lead.
The first set test only made Azarenka stronger and sharper.
The two-time Grand Slam champion pounded a two-hander down the line, consolidating for 3-1. Drilling a return right back at the Briton's feet, Azarenka scored her second straight break stretching the lead to 4-1. Azarenka powered through a love hold seizing her fifth consecutive game.
Serving for the semifinals, Azarenka saved a break point with a running topspin forehand crosscourt Konta could not control. Attacking, Azarenka knocked off a forehand volley for match point. When Konta put a final backhand into net, Azarenka was back in the final four.
The seeding next to her name is No. 13, but Azarenka has produced a level of tennis second to none during her dynamic March run. She surrendered just one set winning Indian Wells and has not dropped a set so far in reaching the Miami final four.
Can the two-time Miami champion pull off the rare coast-to-coast double?
"Right now I'm looking for the semifinal (before thinking about) if I am able to make it," Azarenka said. "It seems so close, but I know it's really far away. So I want to stay present, continue to fight and get better."