Victoria
Azarenka proved to be superior in pivotal moments as she eliminated Veronika
Kudermetova with a score of 6-2, 6-1.
The
Belarusian had previously defeated Robin Montgomery and Dayana Yatremska in
the early rounds, both in straight sets, showcasing her favoritism as the 10th
seed in her first appearance since the US Open.
Kudermetova
entered the hardcourt swing with a challenging recent record, as she had a 2-4
win-loss record since Wimbledon. As the 7th seed, she made her debut in the
second round and advanced by winning a hard-fought match against Eugenie
Bouchard with a score of 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-4.
At the
beginning of the set, both players battled to secure the first game on
Azarenka's serve. She saved four break points against her, which were the
only break points she faced on the set. Holding her service, the Belarusian consistently
threatened in her returns and secured a break in the fourth game. With the
score at 5-2 in her favor, she achieved another break to claim the set 6-2.
Former
world No. 1 was particularly effective in her returns, winning 47% of
Kudermetova's first-serve points and an impressive 78% on second-serve points.
After
Kudermetova started the second set with a break in her favor, an extended
second game unfolded with 11 deuces in 21 minutes. Ultimately, Azarenka seized
the game on her fifth break opportunity.
Kudermetova
showcased her best moments in that game, but the two-time Grand Slam champion
prevailed in the lengthy rallies. The early break against her affected the
Russian player's performance, as she struggled in the following games,
conceding three consecutive breaks to her opponent.
Azarenka
was resolute with her serve and swiftly secured the match with a final score of
6-2, 6-1.
This
victory marks Azarenka's 215th win in WTA 1000 tournaments, surpassing Venus
Williams (214) and leaving her behind only Serena Williams (8263) and Maria
Sharapova (220).
In the
quarterfinals, Azarenka will face the third seed, Caroline Garcia (11th), who
defeated Aliaksandra Sasnovich (89th) and Haley Baptiste (174th) in previous
rounds. The French player has the opportunity to re-enter the top 10 if she
advances to the semifinals, having been displaced last week by WTA 500 San
Diego champion Barbora Krejcikova.
