By Erik Gudris | Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Despite all of the pre-match hype, Victoria Azarenka enjoyed yet another straightforward win over Sloane Stephens at the Australian Open.
Photo Credit: AFP
Two years ago, Victoria Azarenka and Sloane Stephens faced each other in the Australian Open semifinals. Azarenka, due to a controversial medical time out, walked away the winner, despite earning criticism. Stephens, though losing, was proclaimed the next great American tennis hope due to her breakthrough performance.
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Azarenka beat Stephens again last year in Melbourne, but their third meeting at the same event on Tuesday felt more important, and not just because it was a surprise first round match for both as each are unseeded.
"Well, it would be weird if I was playing the whole last year and I wasn't seeded this year. But since I missed so much, I think it's kind of what it is. As I said, you just accept that and you just try to do the best as possible," Azarenka said when asked what she thought about being unseeded.
Because of an ongoing foot injury, Azarenka missed a lot of last year thus causing her ranking to drop outside the top 30. Stephens posted a sub-par 2014 season filled with "what might have been" performances that also caused her ranking to slip as well. With both seeking an early boost to this season, a confident start in the first set was necessary from both.
Azarenka, always known for bringing the fight early, earned the first break. Yet momentum proved elusive as each player traded breaks alternating between solid shotmaking and sloppy errors.
Though Azarenka would hold another break lead, Stephens fired down her first ace to pull within a game at 4-3. Would Stephens seize the initiative?
The answer was no, even after Stephens had a small chance in Azarenka's next service game to perhaps break back. Azarenka held serve and then thanks to back-to-back errors from Stephens got to set point. A pinpoint Azarenka backhand winner in the corner secured the set 6-3 for the former No. 1.
Things got testy, as perhaps some fans hoped it would, in the early stages of the second. Stephens found herself in a ten-minute long service game where she got annoyed with a late challenge from Azarenka on a serve called in but later shown to be out. Showing more conviction, and more pop on her favored forehand side, Stephens fought off five break points to hold for 1-all.
Azarenka, getting a little more aggravated herself, stepped up her game especially on her returns that often opened up the court for her. Breaking for 3-1, Azarenka stayed in control. Stephens, who despite hitting several winners, never looked prepared to try and actually seize the match back from her opponent.
A few games later while up 5-2, Azarenka didn't need to do much to close it out. Stephens wilted in her last service game and threw in one final tentative backhand error down match point. With that, Azarenka celebrated the straightforward 6-3, 6-2 win.
"It was a great first round to test my game," Azarenka said after the win during an on-court interview.
Azarenka looks poised to work her back into the elite tier of the sport. For Stephens, she starts this year with the same questions hovering over her head regarding her commitment and willingness to fight in matches. Stephens is now working with a new coach in Nick Saviano who guided Eugenie Bouchard to a stellar season last year. If he can replicate the same feat with Stephens remains to be seen.
For Azarenka, the focus is on the second round and yet another test. This time against No. 8 seed Caroline Wozniacki in yet another meeting that will again garner pre-match buzz.
"We always had some tough matches," Azarenka said on her upcoming match with Wozniacki. "I would like to focus on myself and what I can do to build my game, to prepare as best as I can, and just compete. That's my key word for this tournament: Compete."