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Day 9 AO Women's Preview: Is Radwanska Ready To Reach The Semis?
By: Erik Gudris
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Photo Credit: Mark Peterson / Corleve
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.aspx) (January 23, 2012) The first two women’s quarterfinals take place in Melbourne today with the defending champion coming in as even more of a sentimental favorite while her opponent is once again trying to prove herself despite her top ranking. Meanwhile, the other quarter features two friends who are both hoping to reach their first ever AO semifinal.
After her dramatic three set victory over Li Na that some are calling one of the best of Clijsters’s career, the defending champion comes into this match with a big question mark as to how her ankle will hold up after a day’s rest. Clijsters may not be 100% going in, but does she need to be against Wozniacki who’s looking to return to the semifinals? Wozniacki, who’s lost to the Belgian twice now including at the 2009 U.S. Open final, certainly can test Clijsters and force her to go for too much in order to end points early.
The Dane hasn’t dropped a set so far and has something to prove especially with her No. 1 ranking on the line this week. The crowd may be solidly on Clijsters’s side to pull off another upset, but don’t be surprised if she makes her final bow on Rod Laver Arena today.
No. 3 seed Victoria Azarenka vs. No. 8 seed Agnieszka Radwanska
Is today the day the “Polish Ninja”, as some fans like to call Radwanksa, finally breaks through and reaches her first semi at a Major? To do so, she’ll have to get through her friend Victoria Azarenka who holds a 6-3 lifetime advantage against her including a recent win at Sydney a few weeks ago. Despite that record, “Aga” and “Vika” have gone three sets in their last three matches with Radwanksa beating Azarenka in Tokyo during her stellar run in Asia last fall.
Radwanksa’s effortless looking game and crafty all-court shotmaking has earned her comparisons with former three-time Australian Open champion Martina Hingis. Some picked her as a darkhorse to go all the way in Melbourne but does she believe in her chances as mush as her biggest fans do? She might have the game and the guile to challenge Azarenka, but Azarenka’s power and confidence should just be enough to see her through in three very close sets.
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