Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Azarenka beats stubborn Kuznetsova to make semi-finals
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Defending champion Victoria Azarenka overcame a stubborn Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-5 6-1 on Wednesday to advance to the Australian Open semi-finals.
The world number one, who apart from a short period against an injury-hampered Jamie Hampton in the third round, had been barely tested in her title defence until she ran into the two-times grand slam champion in the quarter-finals.
Victoria Azarenka of Belarus celebrates defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia in their women's singles quarter-final match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, January 23, 2013. REUTERS/Toby MelvilleKuznetsova competed in the longest women's game at the Australian Open when she lost a marathon four hour, 44 minute clash 6-4 1-6 16-14 to Francesca Schiavone in 2011, and it looked like she was prepared to exceed that after a marathon 77-minute first set.
Azarenka, however, decided that she had enough of the Russian keeping her on court and raced through the second set in 30 minutes to set up semi-final against either third-seed Serena Williams or Sloane Stephens.
(Writing by Greg Stutchbury; Editing by Patrick Johnston)
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