Victoria Azarenka storms into US Open Semifinals

By Raleigh McPherson

NEW YORK (TheSportsNext) September 5, 2012: Victoria Azarenka of Belarus proved why she is the world number one tennis player on Tuesday when she kicked out the US Open defending champion Samantha Stosur of Australia, who was seventh seeded in the event, with a 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5) victory that earned her semifinals berth in the US Open 2012.

With this victory, Victoria Azarenka, 23, has made sure that she will remain as they world number one even if she faces defeat in the semifinal of the US Open 2012 at the Flushing Meadows.

Victoria Azarenka showed she had the appetite for success as she never lost her confidence and composure and ousted the seventh seeded defending champion in a hard-fought encounter.

The current Australian Open champion now awaits winner of the quarterfinal match between Marion Bartoli of France, 11^thseeded, and Maria Sharapova of Russia, third seeded in the semifinal clash.

It is important to mention here that Maria Sharapova completed her career Grand Slam this year by winning the French Open title and is looking in great touch at the US Open.

With rains hitting the tennis action on Tuesday most of the matches were put off for Wednesday but Victoria Azarenka completed her victory on Tuesday despite of a 75-minute delay in the first set.

Samantha Stosur is yet to find a solution to her Azarenka problems as the Australian tennis player is yet to defeat her Belarusian opponent in their six meetings at the top level.

Talking about her attitude and appetite for victory, Victoria Azarenka told reporters, "I don't want to stop yet”.

When asked about her opponent, Azarenka stated, "She played amazing. The level was so much harder today. She made me play my best."

Admitting to the pressure of the match, Azarenka said, “We both showed some excellent tennis. You could feel the pressure all the time. We really both gave it all. We fought really hard, making each other run like crazy."

With this triumph, Victoria Azarenka also avoided becoming the first US Open women's top seed to crash out before the semis since Dinara Safina's third-round exit in 2009. However, another interesting point is that no women’s top seed has gone on to win a Grand Slam title since 2010 when Serena Williams won the Wimbledon title while no women’s top seed has won the US Open title since 2007 when Justine Henin achieved the feat.

However, Victoria Azarenka enjoys psychological advantage against both of her potential semi-final opponents as she leads Maria Sharapova 5-4 and Mario Bartoli 8-3.

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Stosur, Djokovic, Roddick stay alive in US Open

By Raleigh McPherson

Maria Sharapova of Russia

NEW YORK (TheSportsNext) September 3, 2012: Women’s defending champion Samantha Stosur of Australia ended a dream run of giant-killer Laura Robson of England with a hard-earned 6-4 6-4 victory to book her a place in quarterfinals of the US Open 2012 on early Monday.

Samantha Stosur of Australia

Men’s defending champions Novak Djokovic of Serbia also lived up to expectations when he made short work of Julien Benneteau 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 at the Ashe Arthur Stadium to storm into fourth round for the sixth consecutive year.

In a marathon encounter, David Ferrer tamed down 2001 US Open champion Lleyton Hewitt in Armstrong Stadium by 7-6 (9), 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 to book a berth in fourth round of the competition.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia

Maria Sharapova survived a scare against fellow Russian Nadia Petrova before defeating her by 6-1 4-6 6-4 to set up clash against Marion Bartoli of France who stunned fifth-seeded Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic by 1-6 6-2 6-0.

In another top class match, local player Andy Roddick extended his stay at the US Open by beating Fabio Fognini of Italy by 7-5, 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-4 in his third round match.

It is merit mentioning here that Andy Roddick has already announced that the US Open 2012 is final assignment of his international tennis career.

Andy Roddick of United States

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Maria Sharapova into US Open 3rd round

By Raleigh McPherson

NEW YORK (TheSportsNext) August 30, 2012: Maria Sharapova of Russia outclassed Lourdes Dominguez of Spain in steamrolling performance at Flushing Meadows as she raced to a 6-0 6-1 victory and stormed into third round of the US Open 2012 in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

 

Maria Sharapova, who is seeded third in the US Open 2012, required only 54 minutes to make the mockery of the second round match as she slapped 30 winners while her 78^th-ranked Spanish opponent Lourdes Dominguez had no answer to any of them.

Maria Sharapova, the four-time Grand Slam champion, has only lost five games in her first two matches at the US Open 2012 and is looking in a swashbuckling form to target the grand slam title.

The next target for the Russian tennis question is American wild-card Mallory Burdette, a 21-year-old Stanford All-American making her Grand Slam debut.

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Samantha Stosur races into US Open 2012 3rd round

By Raleigh McPherson

NEW YORK (TheSportsNext) August 30, 2012: Samantha Stosur of Australia remained on course to defend her US Open title on Wednesday when she steamrolled Edina Gallovits-Hall of Romania by 6-3 6-0 in Ashe Arthur Stadium.

 

The defending champion needed only 60 minutes to sweep aside her Romanian opponent and book her place in the third round of the US Open 2012.

Samantha Stosur won her maiden grand slam title last year in the Flushing Meadows and looking in good touch ahead of bigger contests in penultimate stages of the tournament.

The world number 135 Gallovits-Hallas had little credentials to offer against one of the best tennis players in WTA Tour and could never stand the power of Samantha Stosur who was oozing with confidence.

Samantha Stosur will be next up against American Varvara Lepchenko in the third round of the US Open 2012.

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Laura Robson sends Kim Clijsters into shock retirement at US Open

By Raleigh McPherson

NEW YORK (TheSportsNext) August 30, 2012: The Belgian woman tennis star Kim Clijsters bid farewell to the world of tennis for the second time on Wednesday when British teenager Laura Robson stunned her by 7-6 7-6 in the second round match of the US Open 2012.

 

Kim Clijsters, who was hoping to end her illustrious career with a fifth grand slam title, had announced before the US Open 2012 that it would be her last career tournament.

It is important to mention here that Kim Clijsters has won the US Open title at Flushing Meadows three times in her career in 2005, 2009, and 2012.

The Belgian super star tennis player looked good in the first set when she was leading Laura Robson, 18, by 5-3 but the 89^thranked player rebounded and took advantage of faults by Kim Clijsters and won the opening set by 7-6 after saving three set points at 5-6.

Kim Clijsters took an early lead in the second set but Laura Robson came from behind for the second time in the match but not before Clijsters saved two match points to force a tiebreak which Robson clinched 7-5.

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