Venus wins battle of No 1s
Williams sees off Azarenka as biggest showpiece first-round tie in ASB Classic history lives up to the hype
What an occasion. What a contest. There might not be a better match in this tournament, and maybe not next week either. It was full of dazzling rallies, champagne shot making and high drama.
It was easily the biggest first round clash in ASB Classic history. Two former world No 1s, with nine grand slams between them, and 69 WTA titles. It was match-up worthy of a final, and only the vagaries of the draw saw the two meet so early in the tournament.
It was a shame for the event that one had to depart; the ever-popular Williams, with her gun slinging style, or the powerful Belarusian, on the comeback trail two years after giving birth.
As a spectacle, it certainly lived up to the billing. Some of the shot-making was superb, with both players finding the lines at will.
One Azarenka crosscourt forehand pass on the run was an early contender for shot of the tournament, while another squash-style angled backhand surprised everyone in the stadium.
Williams, as she often does, started stronger. The 38-year-old wound up her famed serve — still arguably the deadliest on the WTA Tour when it is on — and followed with some punishing forehands.
Azarenka had a frustrating first set. At times, she looked on song, but on other occasions, her decision-making and shot selection was off.
Williams was being pushed to the limit to hold her serve, but managed it, then took her break chances on the Azarenka serve.
She led 5-1 at one point, which didn’t reflect the closeness of the contest, before converting her third set point to wrap the set 6-3.
But Azarenka had been improving as the match progressed and shifted the momentum in the second set. Gone were the unforced errors from the first set and she began to overpower the American at the baseline.
At times, she looked like the player
who took consecutive Australian Opens in 2012-13, and bested Serena Williams at the peak of her powers.
Williams couldn't get a foothold in the second set; she only won six points on her serve, was broken twice
and couldn't convert any of the staggering seven break opportunities.
Azarenka looked the more likely winner as this stage, but Williams, as she has done so often, rediscovered her mojo in the final set.
Azarenka started to struggle on serve, and errors crept in on her forehand.
Williams grabbed the crucial break in the eighth game, and was good enough to serve out the match, with Azarenka netting a forehand.
In a tournament full of big names, defending champion Julia Goerges made a strong statement last night. The world No 14 swept aside Johanna Larsson in an imperious display, winning 6-0, 6-4 in less than an hour.
Goerges was in the groove from the first few rallies, and didn’t give world No 45 Larsson an inch, overwhelming her with power and precision under the baseline.
For whatever reason, Goerges tends to fly under the radar. Every year, there are bigger names with higher profiles at the ASB Classic but the German is ultra-consistent. Yesterday’s victory was her 21st match win in Auckland, more than any other player in the tournament’s history.
The Swede had won their previous three encounters but Goerges didn’t give her a look-in from the start, breaking Larsson three times in the first set. Larsson showed some fight to break back and level at 4-4 in the second set but it was no surprise when Goerges converted the first of three match points with a trademark backhand down the line.