Victoria Azarenka to face Svetlana Kuznetsova in Miami Open final
Friday 1 April 2016 13:14, UK
Victoria Azarenka and Svetlana Kuznetsova will contest the Miami Open final after winning their semi-finals in straight sets.
No 15 seed Kuzentsova showed her mettle to dig in and play a powerful baseline game against Timea Bacsinszky, winning a hard-fought opening set after ending a brilliant rally between the two with an overhead smash.
The Russian, who saw off Serena Williams in the fourth round in Florida, failed to hold serve in the first game of the second set.
She fought back, though, and broke her Swiss opponent in the second and fourth games to lead 3-1, then recovered from 15-40 down on serve in the ninth to seal victory with a powerful backhand crosscourt winner.
Bacsinszky, who beat world No 2 Agnieszka Radwanska in the fourth round, converted just two of 14 break-point opportunities during the match.
"I am happy that I could hang in there and never let my hands down," Kuznetsova, who won the Miami Open in 2006, told ESPN.
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"I have not been feeling my best but I have been fighting every ball and just trying to run as much as I could.
"I was praying to finish it in two sets so I can have a little bit of time to rest [ahead of Saturday's final]. I really tried to enjoy the match, even though I couldn't feel my best shots. I had to fight. This is what tennis is about."
Azarenka booked her place in the second semi-final by battling past ailing but determined second seed Angelique Kerber with a 6-2 7-5 victory.
Kerber, who had her upper left leg covered in heavy strapping, looked out of the contest on several occasions in the second set but was able to stay alive with a gutsy break when Azarenka served for the match at 5-4.
Parity was short-lived, however, as Kerber handed back the break in the next game and Azarenka did not waste another opportunity to seal the deal to move one win away from a third Miami title and second straight tournament triumph.
"I am very happy I stayed really strong in the end and actually started really well," Azarenka said. "I started to dictate (early) and I think the beginning was really important."
