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U.S. Open Day 12

Serena, Azarenka Sets Rematch Showdown in U.S. Open Final

Williams beat Li Na 6-0 6-3; Azarenka over Pennetta 6-4 6-2

Serena going for 5th US title. Photo wtatennis.com

September 06 2013 ITS Staff: New York - Last year’s women’s singles finalists are back on the same stage at the U.S. Open Championships in Flushing Meadows after taking care of the their respective semi-final opponents on Friday.

 

Defending champion and top-seed Serena Williams crushed No.5 seed Li Na 6-0 6-3 while second-seed Victoria Azarenka out-slugged gritty Flavia Pennetta 6-4 6-2 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Serena, who is bidding to win her fifth U.S. Open crown and her 17th career Grand Slam title, will try to duplicate last year’s final outcome when the 31-year old outlasted the reigning two-time Australian Open champion 6-2, 2-6, 7-5.

 

Against Li, Williams stormed to a 6-0 1-0 before Li came back to level at 1-all then broke for 2-1, and getting up to 40-0 in the fourth game. Somehow, the tide went back to Williams’s favor clinching the game en-route to a 5-2 advantage. Li managed to fight off six match points with spectacular winners to narrow the gap at 5-3 before Williams served out the match with solid serves.

 

In a court-side interview Serena said, "Li Na's such a great player, it was tough at the end of the match and I got a bit nervous but I was able to close it out finally.”

 

Li Na later on in an interview said she had jitters coming into the last four and admitted she could have lost to any player she played on Friday. 

Victoria Azarenka enters her 4th Grand Slam final. Photo wtatennis.com

Qouted by Ian Ransom of Reuters, “It's not about the technique. It's about the problem with myself. First time in the semis, I was thinking about the situation. Today, it doesn't matter who the opponent is. The problem is myself,” said the former French Open champion.

 

Li continued, "Even if today I was playing against (a player with) the ranking of 100, (there would) still (be) the same problem. When I walked to the court, I was feeling like the court was so big. My side was feeling like a football court. I cannot focus. In the end, finally I can play tennis."

 

As for Azarenka, the win over Pennetta wasn’t as pretty as she would have liked. She committed 18 unforced errors and served five double faults. She’ll take the win, though, as the former World No.1 is now through to her fourth Grand Slam final going 2-1.

 

Appearing in her first Grand Slam semi-final, Pennetta, who came back from a wrist surgery and her first Grand Slam semifinal, said after the match, “It has been a good tournament. Today I had my chance. I didn't make it in the first set but I was playing well. I think she was really consistent today. We both didn’t serve well but in the end it was a good fight. I'm really happy about the tournament, how I played. Today I lost against the No.2 in the world. I tried my best. It  was nice to see for the fans and everything. I really tried until the last point.” 

Max Mirnyi, Andrea Hlavackova Capture Mixed Doubles Open Title

Max Mirnyi of Belarus and Andrea Hlavackova of Czech Republic. Photo ibnlive.in.com

usopen.org: September 6, 2013 by By McCarton Ackerman - No. 7 seeds Andrea Hlavackova of Czech Republic and Max Mirnyi of Belarus are the first champions at this year’s US Open, fighting off three set points in the opening stanza on their way to claiming the mixed doubles title with a 7-6, 6-3 win over American Abigail Spears and Santiago Gonzalez of Mexico. “Max was unbelievable today,” said Hlavackova. “He was covering 80 percent of the court, so it was easy for me to come up with some magic returns.” Hlavackova wins her first-ever mixed doubles title and first US Open title with this win, while Mirnyi wins his third US Open mixed doubles title and 10th Grand Slam doubles title overall. Hlavackova-Mirnyi will split the $150,000 winner’s check and Spears-Gonzalez will split $75,000 for their finalist showing. Full article

Women’s Singles Semi-finals Friday September 06

2-Victoria Azarenka vs Flavia Pennetta

1-Serena Williams vs 5-Li Na

Women's Doubles – Semi-finals

Serena/Venus Williams vs 5-Andrea Hlavackova/Lucie Hradecka

Mixed Doubles Final

Andrea Hlavackova/Max Mirnyi beat Abigail Spears/Santiago Gonzalez 7-6 6-3

ESPN: Williams Sisters Upset Errani and Vinci in Doubles

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Daily Update

Day 14: Serena Defeats Azarenka in 3 Sets for 17th Grand Slam Title

Day 13: Djokovic Outlasts Wawrinka in 5-sets, Faces Nadal in Final

Day 12: Serena, Azarenka Sets Rematch Showdown in Final

Day 11: Wawrinka Stuns Murray, Sets SF Showdown w. Djokovic

Day 10: Gasquet Upsets Ferrer, Faces Streaking Nadal in Semis

Day 10: Huey, Inglot Denied Final Four Spot by Melo, Dodig

Day 9: Azarenka Edges Ivanovic, Enter Quarter-finals

Day 8: Robredo Shocks Federer in First Win After 11 Tries

Day 8: Huey, Inglot Enter QF; Bryans Closer to Grand Slam

Day 7: Serena Stops Stephens; Noles, Murray into 4th rd

Day 6: Nadal, Federer, Ferrer Roll On; Kohlschreiber Denies Isner Anew; Halep Crushes Kirilenko

Day 5: Hewitt Upsets Del Potro; Djokovic, Murray into 3rd Round
Day 4: Nadal, Federer on Course to Showdown; Ferrer Move to 3rd rd; Serena Rolls; Errani Upset by Penneta;

Day 3: Murray Cruises in Title Defense Opener; Del Potro Battles Past Lopez; Radswanka, Li Na reach 3rd rd; Venus Ousted by Zheng

Day 2: Federer, Berdych Ease to Second Round; Errani, Kvitova, Ivanovic Advance; Stosur Shocked by 17-year old;

Day 1: Nadal Breezes, Nishikori Stunned in Opener; Radswanka, Li Na Cruise; Venus Ousts No.12 Flipkens;

Last American Standing: U.S. Men's Players Ousted First Week 

Open News Bits: Tomic Conquers Self, Ramos; Reister Posts Golden Set; France sends 14 players to main draw

Lisicki and co. looking to do great things in NY: Porsche Team 

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