Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka on Sunday rolled to easy victories in the BNP Paribas Open, with the top-ranked Serb collecting his record fifth title and Azarenka winning for the second time to get back into the world’s top 10.
Djokovic beat Milos Raonic 6-2, 6-0 to improve his match record to 22-1 this year.
It was the Serb’s third consecutive title in the California desert, breaking a tie with four-time champion Roger Federer, who lost to Djokovic the past two years in the final and skipped this year because of a knee injury.
Photo: AFP
“I’m just glad to be able to raise the level of my game as the tournament progresses, and that’s something that I have been doing in the last two years particularly on the big events,” Djokovic said.
Azarenka defeated error-prone Serena Williams 6-4, 6-4.
Djokovic needed 1 hour, 17 minutes to dispatch Raonic, whose big serve got broken five times. The 25-year-old Canadian served just four aces and had 27 unforced errors.
Photo: AP
His first serve averaged 206kph — much faster than Djokovic’s 179kph — but he connected on only 55 percent. The Serb landed 68 percent of his first serves and was never broken.
“He’s the best returner probably of all time,” Raonic said.
Raonic was bothered by an injury shortly after the match began, although afterward he was not sure what was wrong. He was playing his first event since a thigh injury in the Australian Open semi-finals in January.
“I don’t think it affected my effort,” he said. “I thought he played much better than I did.”
Clearly the crowd favorite, Williams gave fans little to cheer about on an unseasonable 32oC day while making 33 unforced errors. After getting broken to trail 3-0 in the second set, Williams returned to her seat and smashed her racket.
Trailing 5-1, Williams won three straight games and held two break points on Azarenka’s serve in the last game. However, Williams ended the match with three straight errors.
“Just unexpected nerves maybe. I definitely didn’t expect to be on that stage again,” said Williams, who was back at Indian Wells after ending her 14-year boycott last year.
It was Azarenka’s first victory over top-ranked Williams since the Cincinnati final in August 2013. She is to move up seven spots to No. 8 in the rankings, her first time back in the top 10 since August 2014.
Azarenka, who won at Indian Wells in 2012, hit just 10 winners and had 20 unforced errors in the two-hour match. She connected on 60 percent of her first serves and broke Williams’ serve three times. Williams converted just one of 12 break chances.
“I have to go for it,” Azarenka said. “She’s not a type of player that if you’re going to play safe she’s going to give it to you or she’s going to miss. You really have to go out there and take away because there is nothing coming easy.”
The crowd, including Queen Latifah, was eager to support Williams. One fan held up a sign that read: “Go Serena. We straight outta Compton,” in a nod to the gang-infested Los Angeles suburb where the Williams sisters learned to play tennis.
Williams was bidding to become the first woman to win three titles at Indian Wells, where she won in 1999 and 2001. After getting booed heavily while beating Kim Clijsters for her last title at the event, she vowed never to return. That year the Williams sisters were supposed to meet in a semi-final, but sister Venus withdrew shortly before the match with a knee injury. The crowd reacted harshly and their father Richard said he heard racial taunts.
“Obviously the last time I was there was probably the worst moment of my whole career. Not probably. Sure,” Serena Williams said. “To be back out there, which I never thought I would be, was really different and special. I was overwhelmed with emotions and nerves.”
Azarenka and Williams met for the 21st time in their careers, with Williams owning a 17-4 edge. The only player she has faced more in her career is her elder sister, who watched grim-faced from a box after losing early in her return to Indian Wells for the first time since 2001.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping