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By Erik Gudris | Tuesday, January 26, 2016

 
Angelique Kerber Australian Open 2016

Angelique Kerber used defense and power to finally earn her first ever win over the recently in form Victoria Azarenka.

Photo Credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve


Germany’s Angelique Kerber finally solved the riddle that was for her Victoria Azarenka to reach her first ever Australian Open semifinal.

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While on paper, the seventh seeded Kerber might have been expected to advance over the lower seeded No. 14 Azarenka, this was definitely a case of the opposite. Especially since Kerber entered Wednesday’s quarterfinal having lost all six previous meetings to Azarenka. That included their most recent one in the Brisbane final.

The intriguing matchup promised exciting rallies but also left fans wondering who might best turn their trademark defense into better offense for the win.

Early on, the answer proved to be Kerber. The German, who saved a match point in her first round match, stated going for bigger cuts on her shots, especially her forehand. Azarenka meanwhile staggered out of the gates hitting several errors and dropping her serve to start.

Kerber kept up her early attack with several scorching forehand return winners. Soon, it was 4-0 in favor of Kerber.

When Kerber failed to break again while holding 0-40 on Azarenka’s serve in the next game, the tide shifted in favor for the former No. 1. Soon Azarenka pulled to within a game and put the pressure back on Kerber.

Kerber dug out of a tough service game for 5-3 by delivering several pinpoint aces along with firing bullets from her squatting backhand drives. Then Kerber, thanks to a combination of poor shot selection and more errors from Azarenka, broke serve again to take the set 6-3.

Despite Kerber’s advantage, the match felt like it might go three sets anyway. That feeling started for many fans when Azarenka appeared to steady her game that looked nothing like the dominant form from earlier rounds.

Azarenka quickly broke Kerber’s serve and then assumed a 2-0 lead. Though Azarenka’s forehand proved a liability at times, it was her willingness to come to net that provided more dividends.

While Azarenka struggled on serve later in the set, she managed to save a break point by deftly placing a forehand volley in the short side of the ad court. Yelling at herself to “Fight!”, Azarenka soon held serve for 4-2.

She broke Kerber again when the German forced a volley wide. Now up 5-2, and with Kerber playing with less fervor, Azarenka seemed ready to force a final set.

Though Azarenka went up 40-0 with three set points in the next game, Kerber resumed her big hitting from earlier. Striking several forehand return winners, Kerber broke for 5-3. With Azarenka now allowing Kerber to dictate and change direction in their rallies, the German took another game for 5-4.

Again Azarenka tried to serve out the set, and again she faltered. Another set point went begging. Kerber soon held another break point and with a forehand winner leveled the set at 5-all.

Kerber held serve for 6-5 and forced Azarenka to try and move things into a tiebreak. But again, Kerber decided she was the one who would decide things. At 30-all, Kerber kept the rally ball up the middle of the court that soon created another Azarenka errors. On match point, Kerber hit a final lunging forehand winner to seal the upset victory 6-3, 7-5.

Kerber hit 31 winners to just 16 unforced errors while Azarenka hit 28 winners but also 33 unforced errors.

An ecstatic Kerber during her on-court interview said she just told herself to forget her previous losses against Azarenka.




“I can’t describe it in words. I was zero and six before I came her on court and I was just saying to myself just play like you play on the practice court and just believe you can beat her. Yeah and I am so happy that I beat her for the first time today!”

Kerber is now trying to become the first German woman to win the Australian Open since Steffi Graff in 1994.

 

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