Victoria Azarenka battled back from a set down to beat Vera Zvonareva 4-6 6-4 6-0 and earn an Australian Open last eight. Belarusian Azarenka, the seventh seed for the tournament, lost the opener and fell a break down in the second set before turning things around.
Zvonareva, the ninth seed, wilted in the final set, failing to win a game as Azarenka earned her place in the quarter-finals.
Azarenka will face defending champion Williams in a repeat of last year's fourth-round tie, where she led by a set only to be forced to retire through illness.
The 20-year-old Victoria Azarenka had never even won a set against Zvonareva in four previous matches, and at a set and a break down things again looked bleak.
However, after a desperation video challenge went her way by the smallest of margins, Azarenka started to turn things around on an emptying Rod Laver Arena.
A break back got her into contention and when she finally managed to take the second set all the life drained out of her Russian opponent and Azarenka rolled her way to victory after a two-and-a-half hour battle.
"She played good, I just tried to keep fighting even when I was down," Azarenka said. "I knew I could stay with her. I just had to believe in myself."
0 коментара:
Post a Comment