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| POWERPACKED: Samantha Stosur of Australian in action during her match against Marion Bartoli of France at the WTA Qatar Ladies Open semi-final at the Khalifa Tennis Complex yesterday |
Last year, Victoria Azarenka thought of quitting tennis for good after being ousted by Daniela Hantuchova in her opening match of the Qatar Open and crashing to a second round defeat against Flavia Pennetta in Dubai the very next week.
With her “mind a mess” she headed home to her mother and grandmother, who told her to relax. There is more to life than just swatting tennis balls, they reasoned. Often a simple piece of good-natured family counselling is enough to work wonders.
In Azarenka’s case it certainly did, transforming her from a player with potential to a superstar with the world at her feet in a matter of 11 months, as she took the world number one ranking and the Australian Open crown in January.
If skeptics needed further proof of her of the passion and commitment she brings to the game, she provided them exactly that yesterday when she overcame a second set injury scare to thrash Agineszka Radwanska and sweep into the final of the Qatar Total Open. Doha 2011 to Doha 2012 may well be considered a defining period in the Belarusian’s career when she finally decides to quit, hopefully after several more Grand Slam titles to her credit.
The 22-year-old will meet Aussie Samantha Stosur in today’s final after her rival Marion Bartoli of France retired early in the second set with cramps. Azarenka won 6-2, 6-4 despite having court side treatment on her left foot immediately after Radwanska broke back in the second game of the second set.
Azarenka was in apparent pain as she had her foot strapped, and for a few minutes it looked like she too would call it quits like Bartoli did an hour earlier. But after a near eight-minute delay Azarenka came back with renewed determination that left Radwanska completely at her mercy.
Initially treading gingerly on court, Azarenka assessed her chances. Then as the pain killer began to have its effect, she regained her poise. Speed and aggression quickly followed and the script ran its course. Radwanska, who must have entertained thoughts of making her first final since Beijing in 2011, soon realised she was up against an opponent who simply never gives up.
After the scores were tied at 2-2, Azarenka won three games in a row to lead 5-2 and although Radwanska herself had a break and retained her serve to close in at 4-5, the Australian Open champ was not letting the opportunity slip by, winning the tenth game 40-0 with a forehand down the line shot to seal her third final of the season.
“Honestly, I don’t know how I managed to pull it off. I had to concentrate very hard on every point, but I am happy that I made it,” said Azarenka who took her winning streak this year to 16 to equal Justin Henin’s record set in 2004; Maria Sharapova holds the most reason season-opening winning streak, going 18-0 in 2008.
“Honestly, I don’t know how I managed to pull it off,” she said. “I had to concentrate very hard on every point, but I am happy that I made it,” added Azarenka, who took her winning streak this year to 16 to equal the now retired Justine Henin’s record set in 2004. She said the adrenaline kept her going.
“Well, it is, but, you know, when you are in the match, adrenaline is going and you try not to think about it and just try to give your best, whatever it is.
“Sometimes the pain eases out, especially when you’re winning and you are in that mode that, you know, you kinda try to forget about the pain at least. It doesn’t happen always.
“But as I said, I was just trying to have a clear mind, you know, and just fight through, whatever happened happened, but in my mind I had to adjust and just, you know, be okay with it that I’m not at my best. I just have to try as hard as I can.”
Azarenka said she is not sure what exactly her injury is and whether she will be 100 percent going into the final today.
“Well, I don’t want to you know, I cannot predict. I’m not a psychic, or how you say, but we’ll see. I have 24 hours, you know, to get better. We’re gonna definitely do the best job as possible to be ready for tomorrow.
But the way it happened, I was just, you know, trying to reach for the ball, and I slipped and kinda twisted my ankle. Other second I know, I was on the floor, you know. So it’s shocking a little bit.”
Earlier Bartoli decided to call off her bid for a first title in Doha after losing the first set 6-3 to Stosur. “Well, actually it started yesterday during the match against Lucie (Safarova),” Bartoli said.
“In the third set I really felt like my right calf was starting to cramp, and I really had to make sure I finished that third set very quickly, because I was really feeling the cramp coming in on the calf. I had a lot of treatment yesterday after the match. Today when I started to warm up, I still felt it.
“So I knew I was not 100% going to the match. That was for sure. Then I couldn’t put any weight on it, so it really was hurting me on my serve and on every movement when I was having to change direction and push from the feet. So I think it was really good decision to take.”