After such a successful week on Doha, there was heartbreak for Victoria Azarenka as the former World No.1 had to retire after the match with Elena Rybakina was finely poised at 1-1 in sets.
Azarenka looked good as she went 6-4 up on the Abu Dhabi champion and Doha finalist who for match wins has won more than anyone else this season only ahead of Jelena Ostapenko.
But the Belarusian decided to call it a day ahead of the third. She did not face any break points early on until the second set when Rybakina started to overwhelm her. She broke her once and then again once more as despite Rybakina having issues with her own serve, she managed to pick her moments against Azarenka who was slowly fading away.
Then as a final set was set to emerge, fans were left disappointed that the conclusion of this highly anticipated matchup couldn’t take place. Azarenka will hope it’s merely precaution but given that she pulled up ahead of a deciding set instead of while being well beaten could tell a story. All eyes will be on her road towards Indian Wells while Rybakina will move on.
Unlike Aryna Sabalenka of course who was dumped out earlier today and Iga Swiatek who beat Rybakina in Doha is set to come this afternoon. For the Kazakh though it is yet another win and despite not being in the circumstances she will have hoped, it’s another notch on her 2024 tally.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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