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| ALL SMILES: World No 1 Victoria Azarenka speaking to the media during the Qatar Ladies Open here at the Khalifa Tennis and Squash Complex yesterday. PICTURE: Jayan Orma |
“Well, I think that’s everybody’s dream to achieve, but, I mean, it’s a very difficult task. But I definitely am going to have the mentality to try to do that,” Azarenka, the world number one and Australian Open champion said.
Being the Olympic year, the 22-year-old, has the Games on her priority list as well. “It’s one of my main goals. I mean, this event comes only once in four years, and it’s so special, you know. It’s history. So for me it’s one of the main goals this year, and I would love to win a medal,” said Azarenka, who has a 12-0 record going into Qatar Open.
Azarenka was also of the view that nothing much has changed for her since she won the Australian Open and the world number one ranking. “Well, I would definitely say I have much more attention than probably a month ago, but my life didn’t really change.
“I didn’t even really go home yet to feel that maybe different. I’m still the same person, still the same hard-working tennis player who wants to achieve many more goals. But it’s nice to have, you know, people notice you more. Of course the support and congrats is always very nice,” she said.
The top seed is well aware that she has her task cut out to keep her top billing intact and other players would be coming hard at her from now on.
“There’s going to be extra motivation for others players, but for me it’s kind of exciting that every time I have to step on the court I have tougher task to handle. So I worked really hard to be at this position, so, you know, I have to deal with it now,” said Azarenka, who has all three wild cards and five of the eight qualifiers in her half of the draw. The toughest challenge she may face is from Italian Francesca Schiavone in the quarter-finals and a possible meeting with Agnieszka Radwanska in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, defending US Open champion Samantha Stosur is also looking for inspiration from her Fed Cup success going into this week’s action.
“Oh, in a nutshell, no, not really happy with my performance this season. I think I could have had a much better year so far, but, you know, that’s the way it goes sometimes. You can plan and train and do everything exactly how you want it, and sometimes you don’t get the results straightaway,” she said.
“I had a good week at the Fed Cup and feel like I kind a got things going a little bit more after winning my two matches there. Hopefully I can continue that on this week and for the rest of the year,” added the Aussie.
Unlike the men’s tour, the women have lacked consistency with no single player dominating at a stretch. However, Stosur was of the view that it will happen sooner rather than later. “In the men’s I think it is what it is. I think everything goes around in cycles, and maybe next year or maybe this year, who knows, there might be some standout top two, three, four, five players maybe like we have in the men.
“But, yeah, it definitely keeps it interesting and there’s a lot of depth in women’s tennis now. I think that’s part of the reason why we’re seeing those kinds of results, because it is so strong and it’s hard to break away from the pack,” felt the Australian.
Polish star Agnieszka Radwanska was aiming for consistency and was focusing on making it to the top five this season.
“Well to be honest, I’m not really thinking about like to be someone like top 2 or top 3 or win specific tournaments. Just, you know, working hard and try my best every tournament. If I would be top 5 this year I would be very happy, but, you know, I’m not really thinking about this,” said Radwanska adding that she don’t want to put any sort of pressure on her.
“I think when you are just doing what you are doing and just enjoying more, then you don’t put pressure. If I have to make it to the top 5 then I say you have to go on court and want to win matches. Doesn’t matter if it’s first round or final, just play the same tennis. If you do that then your goal will be achieved for sure at the end of the year.”
RESULTS
1st ROUND:
Ksenia Pervak (RUS) bt Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x10) 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 Anne Keothavong (GBR) bt Tamira Paszek (AUT) 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5); Shuai Peng (CHN x12) bt Fatma Al Nabhani (OMA) 6-0, 7-5; Shahar Peer (ISR) bt Nadia Lalami (MOR) 6-0, 6-0; Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) bt Vera Dushevina (RUS) 7-5, 6-2; Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) bt Polona Hercog (SLO) 6-0, 6-4; Ana Ivanovic (SRB x13) bt Carla Suarez (ESP) 6-1, 4-1 retired . Monica Niculescu (ROM) bt Elena Vesnina (RUS) 6-1, 6-0.
Women’s Doubles - First Round
[7] J Goerges (GER) / J Zheng (CHN) d [WC] F Al Nabhani (OMA) / O Jabeur (TUN) 64 62; A Medina Garrigues (ESP) / A Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) d S Cirstea (ROU) / A Keothavong (GBR) 26 62 10-2; A Klepac (SLO) / A Rosolska (POL) d B Jovanovski (SRB) / N Lalami (MAR) 63 61; V Dushevina (RUS) / S Peer (ISR) d F Pennetta (ITA) / F Schiavone (ITA) 62 57 10-7
ORDER OF PLAY - TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012
CENTRE COURT start 3:30 pm
A Kerber (GER) vs [9] S Lisicki (GER); S Halep (ROU) vs [15] D Hantuchova (SVK); F Pennetta (ITA) vs [11] D Cibulkova (SVK); Not Before 8:00 PM: [Q] V Razzano (FRA) vs [WC] O Jabeur (TUN)
COURT 1 start 3:30 pm
P Martic (CRO) vs P Cetkovska (CZE); A Yakimova (BLR) vs [16] J Goerges (GER); H Chan (TPE) / R Fujiwara (JPN) vs P Hercog (SLO) / M Martinez Sanchez (ESP)
COURT 2 start 3:30 pm
I Benesova (CZE) vs B Zahlavova Strycova (CZE); J Zheng (CHN) vs M Kirilenko (RUS); C Dellacqua (AUS) / S Stosur (AUS) vs [8] I Benesova (CZE) / B Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) - After suitable rest
COURT 3 start 3:30 pm
K Zakopalova (CZE) vs A Medina Garrigues (ESP); K Jans-Ignacik (POL) / K Mladenovic (FRA) vs S Hsieh (TPE) / S Peng (CHN); J Craybas (USA) / C Scheepers (RSA) vs A Kudryavtseva (RUS) / K Zakopalova (CZE) - After suitable rest
COURT 4 start 3:30 pm
J Gajdosova (AUS) vs S Cirstea (ROU); E Daniilidou (GRE) / M Niculescu (ROU) vs R Kops-Jones (USA) / A Spears (USA)
A Morita (JPN) vs Y Wickmayer (BEL)
COURT 6 start 3:30 pm
L Safarova (CZE) vs [Q] U Radwanska (POL); Not Before 5:30 PM: U Radwanska (POL) / O Savchuk (UKR) vs K Barrois (GER) / A Groenefeld (GER) - After suitable rest