Azarenka crowned Open queen, world No.1
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The
third-seeded Belarusian overpowered the 2008 champion to win 6-3, 6-0
in 82 minutes to lift the trophy and become the fourth women's
first-time grand slam winner in a row.
"I can't wait to be back next year, I've had an amazing month in Australia. It's a dream true," said Azarenka.
Azarenka
came from 0-2 down in the first set to win 12 of the next 13 games for a
comprehensive victory, as Sharapova's game disintegrated in the face of
all-out aggression from the Belarusian.
Sharapova made 30 unforced errors, while Azarenka played almost flawlessly at times with only 12 errors across the two sets.
"As
in any sport you have your good days you have your tough days and you
have days where things just don't work out. Today Victoria was just too
good," Sharapova said.
"It
all comes down to the last two athletes, winner takes it all after all
the players in the draw. I've had great wins here and I've had tough
losses but there's no doubt I'll be back."
Azarenka
won the toss and chose to serve, but she started nervously and dished
up two double-faults on her way to dropping the first game.
Sharapova
consolidated to open a 2-0 lead and got to 0-30 on Azarenka's next
game, but the Belarusian seemed to shake off her nerves and slowly took
control.
She
stepped up to the baseline and took the ball early, pressuring
Sharapova into mistakes. And soon Azarenka was dominating in all
departments, matching the Russian's power from the baseline and
volleying confidently.
The 22-year-old broke back in the fourth game and broke again in the eighth before confidently serving for the first set.
And
Azarenka started the second set with the same self-belief, breaking
Sharapova's first serve and coming back from 15-40 to hold her own and
open a 2-0 lead.
Sharapova
was becoming increasingly frustrated and, unusually for the three-time
grand slam winner, she began to look to her coach Thomas Hogstedt in
frustration.
Azarenka was in full control, however, and she broke Sharapova twice more to go to 5-0 lead.
The
Belarusian stepped up to serve for the championship, saving a break
point and falling to her knees in delight when a Sharapova backhand
crashed into the net.
Azarenka,
who won the girls' singles crown in 2005, became only the third woman
in the open era to win the junior and senior titles at the Australian
Open after Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Chris O'Neil.
She
is also the first Belarusian to win a grand slam title, going one
better than Natasha Zvereva, who finished runner up at the French Open
in 1998.
Sharapova has now been
runner-up at two of the last three grand slams, after losing last
year's Wimbledon decider to Petra Kvitova.
The three-time grand
slam winner had been attempting to win her first major title since
coming back from major shoulder surgery in October, 2008.
Azarenka
will be confirmed as world number one in the new women's rankings
released next week, ending Caroline Wozniacki's long stay at the top.
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