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Azarenka Keeps Australian Title With Comeback Victory Over Li In Rough-and-Tumble Match, Azarenka Repeats as Champion
(about 5 hours later)
MELBOURNE, Australia — Victoria Azarenka was expecting to be the finalist with the bigger obstacles to surmount Saturday. MELBOURNE, Australia — After the tears and the explanations, Victoria Azarenka was expecting to be the finalist with the biggest obstacles to surmount Saturday.
She had been far from her relentless best at this Australian Open for reasons that still remain unclear. Furthermore, she expected to be greeted with hostility after an emotional 48 hours in which she was widely criticized for seeking medical attention at a crucial phase of her semifinal victory over the American teenager Sloane Stephens. She has been far from her relentless best at this Australian Open for reasons that remain unclear, and she expected to be greeted with hostility after an emotional two days in which she was widely criticized for seeking medical attention at a pivotal phase of her semifinal victory over the American teenager Sloane Stephens.
But as it turned out, Li Na was the finalist who was in for a traumatic evening in Rod Laver Arena, and in a momentum-swinging final interrupted by fireworks and, yes, more medical timeouts, Azarenka defended her title by rallying to win, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. But as it turned out at Rod Laver Arena, Li Na was the finalist who was in for the more traumatic evening, and in a momentum-swinging final interrupted by fireworks and, yes, more medical timeouts, Azarenka successfully defended her title by rallying to win, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Li, the 30-year-old Chinese star who was also a finalist here in 2011, twisted her ankle not once but twice, and she even said she blacked out for a moment when the back of her head slammed into the court surface early in the third set, after her second tumble of the night. Li, the 30-year-old Chinese star who was also a finalist here in 2011, twisted her ankle twice and even said she blacked out for a moment after the back of her head slammed onto the court early in the third set after her second tumble.
“Maybe if I’m not falling down, it’s another story,” Li said. “You never know. But the truth: I was falling down, so nothing can change.” “Maybe if I’m not falling down, it’s another story,” Li said of her defeat. “You never know. But the truth: I was falling down, so nothing can change.”
The victory, which allowed Azarenka to retain the No. 1 ranking ahead of Serena Williams, was a tribute to her powers of resilience and concentration, considering all the disruptions and negative energy coming her way on and off court during the second week of the tournament. The victory allowed Azarenka, the globe-trotting 23-year-old from Belarus, to retain the No. 1 ranking ahead of Serena Williams, and it was testimony to Azarenka’s powers of resilience and concentration considering all the disruptions and negative energy coming her way on and off court last week.
When Li missed her final shot, Azarenka dropped her racket, eyes wide, and then went to the net to shake hands. “She’s solid, she’s tough,” her coach, Sam Sumyk, said. “I know that, and I knew that before. I wasn’t really worried about that part.
She was soon on her chair sobbing into a towel. “We sat up and spoke about this last night. I’m not looking for credit, but our conclusion was, let’s do everything we can to let the racket talk.”
“It’s been a long match; it’s been a tough match,” Azarenka, the No. 1 seed, said later. “Li Na was absolutely playing great tennis. Unfortunate things that happened to her, you know, but that’s sport. When it was over, Azarenka dropped that racket, eyes wide, and was soon on her chair sobbing into a towel after shaking hands with Li, who shed a few tears of her own before and after her typically lighthearted visit to the interview room.
“But I’m just happy that everything I went through, I still could manage to give my best and really come out there and try to focus on my game and play tennis, that I can produce. And that’s the thing I love to do, is to compete.” “It’s been a long match, it’s been a tough match,” Azarenka said. “Li Na was absolutely playing great tennis. Unfortunate things that happened to her, you know, but that’s sport. But I’m just happy that everything I went through, I still could manage to give my best and really come out there and try to focus on my game and play tennis that I can produce. And that’s the thing I love to do, is to compete.”
The victory was the latest major coup on a hard court for Azarenka, a 23-year-old from Belarus. Her baseline-hugging power game is a fine fit for the true-bouncing, hardcourt version of the sport. Azarenka’s baseline-hugging power game is the near-perfect fit for the true-bouncing, hardcourt version of the sport. And this victory, which required 2 hours 40 minutes, allowed Azarenka to join an elite club. She is now the fifth active women’s player with more than one Grand Slam singles title. The others: Serena Williams with 15; Venus Williams, 7; Maria Sharapova, 4; and Svetlana Kuznetsova, 2.
This victory, which required 2 hours 40 minutes, allowed Azarenka to join an elite club. She is now the fifth active women’s player with more than one Grand Slam singles title. Azarenka dropped a set to Jamie Hampton of the United States in the third round and then lost her composure against Stephens.
The others are Serena Williams with 15, Venus Williams with 7, Maria Sharapova with 4 and Svetlana Kuznetsova with 2. With Stephens about to serve to stay in the match at 4-5 in the second set, Azarenka was treated on a changeover after complaining of breathing problems. She was eventually taken off the court for a medical timeout. The break lasted nearly 10 minutes, and Stephens’s coach, David Nainkin, later suggested that Azarenka had “bent” the rules to shift the momentum.
Serena Williams came into this tournament as a prohibitive favorite but was stunned in the quarterfinals after experiencing back problems and eventually losing to the 19-year-old Stephens. Others were skeptical, too, including Patrick McEnroe, the ESPN analyst who is also the head of the United States Tennis Association’s player development program. On Twitter, McEnroe called the break an “absolute travesty.”
Azarenka had scares of her own, dropping a set to Jamie Hampton in the third round, then losing her composure in the final stages of her match against Stephens. Sumyk said he was infuriated by McEnroe’s comment. “I think someone like Patrick McEnroe should be a little more responsible, courageous and smarter for sure,” Sumyk said.
Treated on a changeover after complaining of breathing problems with Stephens about to serve to stay in the match at 4-5 in the second set, Azarenka was eventually taken from the court for a medical timeout. Azarenka, while accepting blame for the timing of the medical timeout, insisted that she was suffering not just from nerves, but from a legitimate injury: a rib problem that she was told was affecting her breathing. She spent some of her rest day Friday making the news media rounds in an attempt to re-emphasize that she had not fabricated an injury or intentionally disrupted Stephens’s rhythm.
In all, the break lasted nearly 10 minutes, and Stephens’s coach, David Nainkin, later suggested that Azarenka had bent the rules to shift the momentum. “What happened with Sloane, it was a big deal for sure,” she said. “It came out as a big deal. It wasn’t a big deal on the court. But I take it as a great learning experience and just try to live the moment and take the best things out of what happened and move forward.”
Other analysts and coaches were also skeptical, including Patrick McEnroe, the ESPN analyst who also is the head of the United States Tennis Association’s player development program. In the wake of the debate, the crowd at the final greeted Li with considerably more warmth than it did Azarenka on this cool night when Azarenka played in leggings and when her usual prematch garb, hood pulled over her head, seemed appropriate.
But Azarenka, while accepting blame for the timing of the medical timeout, insisted that she was suffering not just from anxiety but from a legitimate injury: a rib problem that she was told was affecting her breathing. In her first service game, a fan shouted “Azarenka, quiet please!” — a reference to her extended wails during play. And the support for Li became more evident as the match progressed, fans shouting their encouragement in Mandarin and English while greeting most of Azarenka’s winners with polite, even subdued, applause.
And she spent much of her day off Friday making the rounds to news media outlets in an effort to re-emphasize that she had not fabricated an injury or intentionally disrupted Stephens’s rhythm.
“What happened with Sloane — it was a big deal for sure,” she said. “It came out as a big deal. It wasn’t a big deal on the court. But I take it as a great learning experience and just try to live the moment and take the best things out of what happened and move forward.
“But emotionally there were a lot of things, like the match I had in the third round — it was really tough to battle through. So two weeks, it is very difficult to keep your cool, because it seems in one way so short, but in another way it seems so long.”
In the wake of the debate, the crowd in Rod Laver Arena greeted Li with considerably more warmth than was accorded Azarenka on a cool evening when Azarenka’s now-traditional garb for walking on court — head covered by sweatshirt hood — seemed entirely climate-appropriate.
In her first service game, a fan shouted, “Azarenka, quiet please!” as she prepared at the baseline: a reference to her extended wail when she hits her shots.
And the support for Li became more evident as the match progressed, with Mandarin-speaking fans shouting approval to her while most of Azarenka’s winners were greeted with polite, even subdued applause.
“I was expecting way worse, to be honest,” Azarenka said.“I was expecting way worse, to be honest,” Azarenka said.
Azarenka, one of the game’s most intense competitors, managed to recover from the loss of the first set and keep her focus despite three extended breaks in play: two when Li required medical timeouts of her own, and one for the customary Australia Day fireworks display. But Azarenka kept her eye on the prize despite three extended breaks in play: two when Li required medical timeouts and one for the customary Australia Day fireworks display.
It was a tense match, often better drama than tennis. There were 16 service breaks in all, and both players finished with significantly more unforced errors than winners. But on an unsteady night, Azarenka was the steadier force, making 18 winners and 28 unforced errors to Li’s 36 winners and 57 unforced errors. It was a tense, strange match: often better drama than tennis. There were 16 service breaks, with Li losing 9. Both women finished with many more unforced errors than winners. But on an unsteady night, Azarenka was the less inconsistent force, making 18 winners and 28 unforced errors to Li’s 36 winners and 57 unforced errors.
The match changed for good with Azarenka leading, 3-1, and Li serving at 15-30 in the second set. After a swing volley from Azarenka, Li tried to shift direction quickly. Her left ankle gave way and she went down quickly, her racket clattering on the court as she winced and rolled onto her back. The match changed complexion with Azarenka leading by 3-1 and Li serving at 15-30 in the second set. After a swing volley from Azarenka, Li tried to shift direction quickly. Her left ankle gave way, and she went down quickly, her racket clattering on the court as she winced and rolled onto her back.
When she rose, she struggled to put weight on her left foot and was soon helped to her chair for treatment. Li’s left ankle was wrapped during a three-minute medical timeout as Azarenka kept warm by practicing her serve on court. When she rose, she struggled to put weight on her left foot and was soon helped to her chair for treatment. Li’s left ankle was wrapped during a three-minute medical timeout as Azarenka kept warm by practicing her serve.
When Li returned, she won five straight points to hold serve and then go up, 0-40, on Azarenka’s serve, but in what was a critical game, Azarenka managed to recover and win five consecutive points to hold service to take a 4-2 lead. When Li returned, she won five straight points to hold serve and go up, 0-40, on Azarenka’s serve. But in that important game, Azarenka managed to recover by winning five straight points to take a 4-2 lead and later closed out the set.
She closed out the set, but with Li up by 2-1 in the third set, there was a nine-minute break in play for the fireworks. With Li ahead by 2-1 in the third set, there was a nine-minute break for the fireworks. On the first point after play resumed, Li’s left ankle buckled again as she ran for a backhand. She fell hard, and the back of her head slammed onto the court, knocking her visor off.
On the first point after play resumed, Li’s left ankle buckled again as she ran for a background. She fell hard onto her back and her head slammed into the court, knocking her visor free. Li said she blacked out for a moment and then, dazed, she eventually rose to a seated position on the baseline, where Victoria Simpson, the WTA’s primary health care provider, raised an index finger in front of her eyes, trying to check her reactions. “I was thinking, ‘This is tennis court, not like hospital,’ ” Li said. “She was like, ‘Follow my finger.’ ”
Li said she blacked out for a moment. Then, dazed, she eventually rose to a seated position on the baseline, where the health care provider, Victoria Simpson, raised a single index finger in front of Li’s eyes to check her reactions. Li eventually returned to her chair under her own power. Simpson continued to manipulate her neck and check her symptoms. Another seven minutes passed before play resumed, and Azarenka reeled off the next three games to retake command of the match, this time for good.
“I was thinking, ‘This is tennis court, not like hospital,’ ” Li said. “She was like, ‘Follow my finger.’ ” It takes some doing to win a Grand Slam title in the era of Serena Williams when you are not close to your best for much of your run. But with Williams faltering in the quarterfinals against Stephens, Azarenka managed just that in Melbourne.
Li eventually returned to her chair under her own power, where Simpson continued to gently manipulate her neck and check her symptoms. “To tell you the truth, I’m trying for two weeks now or maybe a little more to figure out what is going on,” Sumyk said. “I don’t have the answer, and believe me I’m looking, looking, looking, searching, and I still don’t have it. But I tell you what, seeing her with that trophy is a great feeling.”
In total, another seven minutes passed before play resumed, and Azarenka reeled off the next three games to reseize command of the match, this time for good.
When Li’s final backhand had sailed long and she had finished crying into her towel, she rose and jogged to the opposite side of the court to shake hands with members of her team, including her coach, Sam Sumyk, and a friend, the musician Redfoo.
“Enjoy this one, you are a champion,” Sumyk said.
“Amazing,” said Redfoo, using a more colorful word as a prefix.