Victoria Azarenka beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3 6-2 to clinch her third title in Miami and her 20th career title securing her spot in the top five of the WTA Ranking. Azarenka beat Serena Williams in the 2009 Miami final and repeated her feat two years later by defeating Maria Sharapova. Azarenka converted seven of her twelve break points and won 12 of her 14 points played on Kuznetsova’s second serve but she double faulted six times.
Azarenka came into the final with an impressive win-loss record this year, having won 21 of her 22 matches. She lost only one match in the quarter finals at the Australian Open against Angelique Kerber, who went on to win the Happy Slam Down Under.
Azarenka and Kuznetsova met for a final between two former champions at this tournament. They came into the final with a 4-4 tie in their previous head-to-head matches. Azarenka won the three most recent meeting between these two players. Both won two Grand Slam titles (Azarenka won two Australian Open titles in 2012 and 2013, Kuznetsova won the US Open in 2004 and the Roland Garros in 2009).
They have met for the first time since the 2013 Australian Open when Azarenka won by 7-5 6-1.
Azarenka earned two break points in the first game of the opening set and converted her second chance. Azarenka consolidated the break with a hold to 15. Kuznetsova nade four unforced errors, including three off the forehand side.
Azarenka got the double break to 15 to race out to a 3-0 lead. The Belarussian player won 13 points to 5 for Kuznetsova.
Kuznetsova got one break back in the fourth game after Azarenka made two unforced errors. Kuznetsova won just 40 percent of her first serve points and 17 percent of her second serve points and dropped her serve to trail 1-4. Kuznetsova got her second break of the second set to 30 for 2-4 as Azarenka made another double fault. Azarenka broke again with a forehand swing volley (her 8th winner of the match) to pull away to 5-2.
Azarenka fell behind 15-40 after committing her fifth double fault of the match. Kuznetsova broke serve for the third time for 3-5 as Azarenka made a double fault and sent a backhand into the net. That was the seventh break in eight games.
Azarenka got the eighth break in the first nine games of the first set. The Belarussian served at 48 percent in the first set and made five double faults but clinched the first set by 6-3. Azarenka hit 10 winners to 11 unforced errors.
After a series of eight breaks in the first game, both players held their serve in the first two games of the second set. After holding serve in the third game, Azarenka broke serve to love to take a 3-1 lead.
In the seventh game Kuznetsova earned a break point but Azarenka saved it with her first ace of the match. Azarenka hit a drive forehand into the corner to hold her serve for 4-1.
Azarenka hit 23 winners to Kuznetsova’s 8 and made 18 unforced errors to Kuznetsova’s 22.
Azarennka got her seventh break of the match to 15 with a backhand slash to close out the match 6-3 6-2 after 1 hour and 17 minutes becoming the first woman to score the Indian Wells-Miami Sunshine double in the same year since Kim Clijsters in 2005. The only other player who claimed the Sunshine double in the same year was Steffi Graf in 1994 and 1996.
Azarenka is the fourth player in history to win in Miami three or more times alongside Serena Williams (eight times), Steffi Graf (five times) and Venus Williams (three times).
Azarenka has extended her winning streak to 13 matches and her win-loss record in 2016 to an impressive 22-1. She has won 13 Premier-level titles. With her final in Miami Kuznetsova will move to World Number spot 13 and to Number 6 in the Race to Singapore.
Thanks to her third triumph in Miami Azarenka will return to the top five and move to the top of the the Road to Singapore. Azarenka won her third title in Miami without dropping a set beating Garbine Muguruza, Johanna Konta and Angelique Kerber. She took a re-match against Kerber by beating her German rival 6-2 7-5 in the semifinal.
“Teamwork makes the dream work. I dedicate the win to my family. They gave me the wings to fly. Thank you for tennis. Without this loving sport I wouldn’t be standing here and going after it every day”, said Azarenka in the post-match speech during the award ceremony.
“I want to congratulate Sveta for the great result. I know you have had a lot of ups and downs in your career and I am so happy to see you again in top form producing some great tennis.”
“It was pretty tough conditions being so hot and tough to serve. The ball was flying so much. I was taking time away from her and trying to step into the net a lot on some of the key points. Thi gives me even more inspiration to keep working hard. When you put everything you have in it, the win is way more important”, said Azarenka.
