Radwanska topples defending champion Azarenka to reach Australian Open semis
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
22.01.2014 09:11
After three years of being bested by World No. 2 Victoria Azarenka, Agnieszka Radwanska beat the Belarusian 6-1, 5-7, 6-0 in their quarter-final showdown in Melbourne.
Agnieszka Radwanska celebrates her victory over Victoria Azarenka. Photo: EPA/Franck Robichon
“I'd lost against her so many times, that it had to work out for me in the end,” fifth seed Radwanska enthused after wrapping up her match against the defending champion.
“I showed my best tennis today,” she added.
“I tried to make use of every chance.”
It was a double breakthrough for the Polish star. Besides beating the Belarusian for the first time since their Tokyo semi-final match in 2011, she will now play her first ever Australian Open semi-final, after making the quarter-finals in the Grand Slam tournament four times in the past six years.
“It was my best quarter-final at the Australian Open, and after all I've played here a bit,” she said.
Radwanska got off to a flying start in the match, only dropping a single game in the first set.
The Belarusian bounced back in a tantalising second set, winning 7-5, but Radwanska dug her heels in during the deciding set, winning six games in succession.
The 24-year-old Pole will now face Slovak Dominika Cibulkova in the semi-finals. Cibulkova, who is 20th seed in the tournament, beat Romanian Simona Halep 6-3,6-0 in her quarter-final match. (nh)
Source: IAR