25th September, 2013
Former world number one Venus Williams seems to have regained her form as she beat world number 18, Romania’s Simona Halep in three sets, to qualify for the quarter-finals in the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.
With the victory, Venus had stretched her record against the 21 year old Romanian 3-0.
The thirty-three year old Venus lost the first set 4-6, but won the second 7-5 and the third 6-3. Venus will next meet Eugenie Bouchard, who edged out Jelena Jankovic in sets, 7-5, 6-2. Bouchard, the 19 year old Canadian, beat American Sloane Stephens in three sets on her way to the quarters.
Yesterday, Venus defeated ailing top seed Victoria Azarenka 6-2 6-4 with ruthless efficiency to reach the last 16.
The seven-times grand slam champion showed glimpses of her gunslinging best under the Tokyo floodlights against a grimacing Azerenka, who spent much of the match bending over her racquet between points and tugging sharply on her purple top in frustration.
“I’ve sat through two US Open finals between her and Serena and you could tell from the first game she wasn’t herself,” Williams told reporters.
“It was definitely hard to concentrate because you sort of feel bad. I don’t know what was bothering her but I just hope she feels better.”
Azarenka, beaten by Serena Williams in the US Open final earlier this month in a repeat of the 2012 championship match in New York, had a large fan brought courtside to try to cool off at changeovers.
But such was her obvious discomfort she failed to threaten Williams. The 24-year-old Belarusian threw several tantrums as she repeatedly wafted shots off target or into the net.
“I haven’t been able to practise for three days and I didn’t sleep at all last night,” said Azarenka. “I felt hot, then cold.
“Maybe I ate something bad but it’s been getting worse,” added the world number two, who complained of having eaten some bad sushi after a quarter-final exit from the $2.3 million event last year.
“You can’t play at 20 percent against a top player — it just doesn’t work that way.”
Williams completed her third victory in three meetings between the pair with a second serve. Australian Open champion Azarenka wearily hooked it wide before trudging off court close to tears.
“I’m getting better every tournament,” said Williams, currently ranked a lowly 63rd in the world after two years of illness and injury problems. “I’ve had my issues, to say the least, but it’s given me an unreal amount of character.”