I've never admired Vika more than after the US Open final. The feisty Belorussian might have lost the match, but I hope she won the respect of the world. She's not the most popular player on the tour, but she proved she is one of the most competitive champions ever, the only one who can currently challenge the all-time great, Serena Williams.
The battle was once again epic. Serena came out swinging, and although Vika had chances, she eventually run away with the first set, 7-5. The American then looked set for a routine straight set victory, leading 7-5,4-1, but Vika was not done yet. She fought, and fought, and fought some more, putting pressure on her opponent who failed to serve out the match on two occasions. I've actually never seen Azarenka fight so hard and so smart before. She has always been a fierce competitor, but with this performance she truly stepped it up a notch. A volcano on a given day, Victoria kept her cool this time. Fearing another heart-breaking defeat, she threw caution to the wind and went for her shots. Luckily she was rewarded, and she was able to push the match into a decider following a nail-biting tiebreak.
The way she handled that tough situation was sublime. So much composure, so much calm, this was a much-improved Azarenka. I never believed she had it in her to respond in such a manner. I was utterly impressed. Nevertheless, the final was not won yet, and Williams was still to have her last say.
Sensing that Vika could cause damage, the American changed the strategy. She played it smart, reducing the unforced errors, while making her opponent miss more. Azarenka was so drained after that second set that she had no reaction. The first few games were key, and although the Belorussian held the upper hand, she could not take advantage. Serena got the early break and went on to close out the match. Talking about those decisive moments, Vika declared: "There was no letdown. There was a moment in the third set where the momentum changed a little bit, and I kind of felt like I lost that momentum. But it wasn't because Serena didn't do something, and it didn't happen just because I was out of focus or something - she really made it happen. And in that particular moment she was tougher today. She was more consistent and really deserved to win.
Sensing that Vika could cause damage, the American changed the strategy. She played it smart, reducing the unforced errors, while making her opponent miss more. Azarenka was so drained after that second set that she had no reaction. The first few games were key, and although the Belorussian held the upper hand, she could not take advantage. Serena got the early break and went on to close out the match. Talking about those decisive moments, Vika declared: "There was no letdown. There was a moment in the third set where the momentum changed a little bit, and I kind of felt like I lost that momentum. But it wasn't because Serena didn't do something, and it didn't happen just because I was out of focus or something - she really made it happen. And in that particular moment she was tougher today. She was more consistent and really deserved to win.
"I wish I could have done something better today. I had opportunities in the first set, as well. But it's okay. It goes that way. I did everything I could. I gave my heart and I fought as hard as I could. That's important to me, that I lost to a great champion, but I'm still going to have my head up."
The loss is painful for sure, but this is probably the first time when I feel that the runner-up gained more than the winner. It's true Serena won her 17th Grand Slam crown, but Vika proved her worth. I bet she will come back stronger than ever after this match. Last year she was denied by the American after serving for the match, but she came back to beat Serena in two tight finals this season, in Doha and Cincinnati. She couldn't quite reproduce the feat in a major yet, but I have full confidence she will be able to on the next occasion. She is that type of a player. She is not intimidates, she has no inhibitions, she is tough, mentally and physically, and she deserves the No.1 ranking. Serena is the greatest, but Vika is equally great.
"I'm just going to take the best out of what happened today, because there are a lot of positive things," she said. "What's negative is the result. But overall, to see how much you rise to the occasion compared to the other matches, I think it's pretty remarkable. And the challenge in front of me is only going to make me more motivated. We showed everyone today that the women's game is really, really competitive. There's no other way than going out there and working hard again."
Vika, thanks for the great fight. You totally won my heart and that of the world. Let's make it third time lucky in 2014! #letsdothis #teamvika
  |
| A determined Azarenka refused to give in. She fought hard, gave it her all, and although she lost the match, she won the most hearts. The Belorussian proved her worth with this performance. |
  |
| Although the result was the same, Azarenka showed she's a much improved player now. Let's make it third time lucky in 2014, Vika! |
No comments:
Post a Comment