World No.1 Victoria Azarenka powered to her fourth title of the season, extending her perfect 2012 win-loss record to 23-0, with a 6-2 6-3 victory over Maria Sharapova in the final of Indian Wells. Azarenka is now 5-3 against Sharapova, and four of those five victories came in finals, all in straight sets, while the last was the 2012 Australian Open final which Azarenka won 6-3 6-0.
In today’s title match, Sharapova won only three service games and made 37 unforced errors to Azarenka’s 14. The match was Azarenka’s from start to finish, except for Sharapova’s brief interruptions of Azarenka’s streak in the middle of the second set, when Sharapova made two breaks.
The most difficult match of Azarenka’s run to the Indian Wells title was her opener against Mona Barthel, a three-setter with two tiebreaks. In the third round Azarenka ousted Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1 6-2, then she beat Julia Goerges 6-3 6-1 in the fourth round, crushed Agnieszka Radwanska in the quarterfinals 6-0 6-2, and Angelique Kerber 6-4 6-3 in the semis.
Editor’s update: My appologies for no updates on the semifinals, I was struck by some virus, and wasn’t able to write. (photo: © Neal Trousdale)
She really is playing her best tennis ever! Hopefully she can keep her high level for a long time! It’s a bit of a feminine repeat of the Djokovic streak of last year 😛 Keep on going Vika!
Another incredible week from Vika! Her backhand was just too good this week. I originally thought her run would end in Miami, but having seen her annihilate the field in Indian Wells and her draw in Miami, I think she will do the double…
Nobody has had a better start since Martina Hingis in 1997