Azarenka, Kvitova Meet For WTA Champs Title; Del Potro, Tsonga Tangle In Vienna

by Staff | October 30th, 2011, 1:14 am
  • 103 Comments

Victoria Azarenka and Petra Kvitova will clash Sunday in the finals of the WTA Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. And at stake for the winner is the No. 2 ranking, a level neither player has reached before.

En route to the title match, Azarenka routed Vera Zvonareva 6-2, 6-3 on Saturday.

“Tomorrow is about sudden death,” Azarenka said. “It’s the last match at a very important tournament. It’s the first time in the final for both of us and we both want to win. It’ll take everything out of us and I hope we can show the best tennis we can.”


Kvitova needed three sets to knock out US Open champion Sam Stosur 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 and remain perfect at 18-0 on the year indoors.

“Sam was serving very well today, so it was key I was able to break her in the second and third sets,” said Kvitova who is appearing in her first year-end Championships event. “It was getting very tough at the end. I had 5-0 and then she was playing very fast, hitting many winners. It was getting tough to concentrate on my service games. You never know what will happen when you play against top players. But I served great the last game.”

Kvitova leads Azarenka in their head-to-head 3-2 including winning the last three, two this year at Madrid and Wimbledon.

“Against Vika we played two times this year already,” Kvitova said. “I won both, so hopefully it will be better for me, mentally. So we know each other very well.”

Kvitova is seeking her 6th title of the year, Azarenka her 4th.

There’s big money on the line for both players. Kvitova will pocket $1,750,000 if she wins and $890,000 if she finishes runner-up. Azarenka takes home $1,635,000 if she wins and $775,000 if she is runner-up.

On ATP circuit, top seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga meets No. 2 seed Juan Martin Del Potro Sunday for the Vienna title. Del Potro has won all three prior meetings with the Frenchman.

The 23-year-old Del Potro is bidding for his third ATP title of the season and his 10th overall, first indoors. Tsonga seeks his 7th career title, 2nd of the 2011.

In Russia, Janko Tipsarevic looks to continue his hot stretch run against No. 4 seed Marin Cilic in the St. Petersburg final. Cilic has won five of six against the Serb, but the Tipsarevic comes in ranked higher and on a high after recent titles in Kuala Lumpur and Moscow.

Both Del Potro and Tipsarevic have outside chances still at London, but they’ll have to win Sunday to maintain hopes.

WTA Sunday Schedule

Sinan Erdem Dome (from 14.30hrs)
1. Doubles Final: Peschke/Srebotnik vs. Huber/Raymond
2. Singles Final: Petra Kvitova vs. Victoria Azarenka (NB 17.00hrs)


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103 Comments for Azarenka, Kvitova Meet For WTA Champs Title; Del Potro, Tsonga Tangle In Vienna

Kimmi Says:

Big money indeed. go petra!


Kimmi Says:

cilic definitely better than tipsa in the first set. 4-2 up.


Kimmi Says:

spreading the court very well with the fh cilic. tispa no chance at the moment.

first set in the bag.


alison hodge Says:

kimmi it would be great for cilic to take the title i think he deserves it,go cilic.


Kimmi Says:

alison – are you watching the matches? delpo vs tsonga has also started. big hitting in this match.


Kimmi Says:

tipsa breaks early in the second. trying to make a come back tipsa.


Kimmi Says:

phew! delpo nearly broken. saved 3 break points to go up 5-4


dari Says:

that was a close one, kimmi. Always nice to see the best serves come out when needed
Hope Juan M can get this title today
And will cheer for vika in wta final


Kimmi Says:

tipsa takes the second set, we are going to a decider…


Kimmi Says:

tie break. tsonga looks the aggressive one so far, let see who will snatch the tie break.


Kimmi Says:

dari – are you watching? great hitting.

3-2 delpo


Kimmi Says:

great scrambling from delpo to get the mini break. go man from tandil


dari Says:

Yes watching delpo Tsonga
Is it just me or is JM really looking good moving?
Maybe I haven’t watched him in a while


Kimmi Says:

ah, great point form tsonga to get the mini break back

back square again. 5-5


Kimmi Says:

DF tsonga..can you believe it, he goes for too much in the second.. set point delpo. finish him delpo

yes!! set delpo


Kimmi Says:

i meant ” tsonga went for too much second serve”


Kimmi Says:

tipsa calls for trainer. too much tennis recently. looks like a groin injury? great chance for cilic here..


Kimmi Says:

break delpo. looking good with a set and a break


Kimmi Says:

tsonga breaks right back


Kimmi Says:

tsonga breaks again..oh boy, delpo is gone off the boil


Kimmi Says:

cant keep up with these matches. cilic up a break in the third.

5-2 cilic now.


Kimmi Says:

delpo let tsonga back in, now tsonga is confident again. takes the second set 6-3


steve-o Says:

Yay Cilic! First title in over a year, he’s playing well.


Kimmi Says:

congrats to cilic, he wins by breaking tipsa again. 6-2 in the third.

no third title for tipsa. he is playing basel next week (if he doesnt pull out)..things will get tougher.


steve-o Says:

Heavy hitting from both Del Potro and Tsonga. But no breaks yet in the third.

I think Del Potro will eventually come through, though.


Kimmi Says:

tsonga 21 aces in this match, unbelievable!! while delpo only 7


Kimmi Says:

hmmm, i dont know steve-o. tsonga is looking very good at the moment.


steve-o Says:

Looks like you were right, Kimmi. Del Potro has been broken. But Tsonga is so unpredictable, you never know what will happen.


Kimmi Says:

poor delpo. tsonga is going for it and it works this time.

delpo can still fight but things not looking good


Kimmi Says:

congrats tsonga. not good enough for delpo. better luck next time.

time for the women final..go petra


alison hodge Says:

hi kimmi sorry i didnt reply to your message ealier my computer threw a hissy fit,unfortunatly dont get either of the mens matches where i am,glad for cilic though,think tipsy could do with a rest,i am watching the ladies it looks like the makings of a good match come on petra.


steve-o Says:

Congrats to Tsonga, good effort from Del Potro as always but still a little rusty. Nonetheless he should continue steadily improving next year, I have no doubts he will get back to the top ten.

Does this title mean Tsonga has enough points to make the YEC in London?


alison hodge Says:

sorry for delpo but to actually get to the final,and loose to tsonga whos had a pretty good year is no disgrace.


alison hodge Says:

@steve o i dont know but i think that just about sealed it for tsonga as regards london,as for delpo i agree he could make the top 10,i think he will do well in masters events,however i think he needs to improve on fitness to be a contender at the majors,seems to get breathless easily,still time will tell and i hope im wrong.


Kimmi Says:

petra on fire!!


alison hodge Says:

kimmi bit of a contradiction but i was going to say,petra as cool as a cucumber lol,still shes playing great though,come on petra keep it up.


Kimmi Says:

azarenka serve is not giving petra any problem at the moment.


Kimmi Says:

azarenka coming up with great shots..petra needs to keep it up


alison hodge Says:

at least aza wont get bagaled,one game on the board.


Kimmi Says:

hmmm, petra starting to leak errors and azarenka is playing a little better


Kimmi Says:

oh lord, petra is breaking down, what is going on?


Kimmi Says:

from 5-0 to back on serve, hmmm!!!


alison hodge Says:

azarenkas playing a lot better,great to see we have a game on our hands now,what happened to petra just capitulated,now azarenka serving for five all.


Kimmi Says:

its all about petra here. she is nervous. she is not going for it anymore


Kimmi Says:

hope she is relaxed now, needs to regroup quickly.


Kimmi Says:

eventually!!!


alison hodge Says:

credit to petra for coming back after aza came back,and then take the set.


carlo Says:

2 great ATP finals today! Congratulations to Tsonga and Cilic. Well played by Tsonga-25 aces. (but wonder many of those would Djokovic have returned?)

Go Petra Go!!


Kimmi Says:

tough to watch petra, she is making errors again. gets broken.


carlo Says:

Haven’t checked but I don’t think 250 points qualifies Tsonga for London yet.


jane Says:

Congrats to Tsonga and Cilic.

Petra is a rollercoaster.

margot, grendel, Collin, alison, any others out that way, are you going to WTF this year??


Kimmi Says:

aza very steady, serving well too.


alison hodge Says:

hi jane i would love to,unfortunatly the bank balance wont allow it,however i wont miss a minute when its on television,those tournaments are wide open for anybody to win so should be very interesting,take davey 2 years ago,anyway yeah your right about petra very up and down performance,hope she can pull through and win this,but at the moment i still have no idea which way this match is going to go,very frustrating.


jane Says:

I know alison: Can Vika force a third set? Will Petra dominate the third if there is one? Or will it be a cliff hanger? Indeed, it is tough to predict. Maybe roller coaster isn’t the right metaphor for Petra either: those are quite predictable.


Kimmi Says:

third set! vika is the steady one so far.

its all about what petra can do or not do in this match. she needs to regroup..c’mon let go!


Kimmi Says:

wooow! vika showing a great touch.


alison hodge Says:

jane i think my moneys on vika,i think she has a slight edge now and is playing that little bit better,after winning that second set,im sensing a swing in momentum.


jane Says:

Those screams from Petra seem so surprising, but nice to see /hear her fired up like that, showing emotion.


alison hodge Says:

at least petras screams are after a point not during.


Kimmi Says:

lots of screams on that game. petra came back from 0-40 to win the first game third set.


jane Says:

alison, not so sure…Petra pulled out a huge hold there. That could be all she needs to run away with it.


Kimmi Says:

the commentator said apparently she is screaming “c’mon” in Czech. “posh” or something???


Kimmi Says:

can those screams be annoying for opponent?


alison hodge Says:

yeah hopefully jane,every time i send in a post something changes,petras just broken now,oh god strewth,what the players not to the coaches are going through lol.


jane Says:

Vika is still horrified by that horrible forehand miss on bp, and Petra is still chuffed due to that crucial hold. That may be the last momentum swing in this match. But who knows?


alison hodge Says:

kimmi i suppose it is annoying at least petra has more repect for her opponent, and does it after a point rather than during,which i dont have a problem with,however having said that i hope this wont become a regular thing.


Kimmi Says:

so worried for petra, can she keep this lead? c’mon

easy miss..oh lord not a good start.


Kimmi Says:

alison, i dont think that scream is going to change. personally i love it.


alison hodge Says:

kimmi i agree alot less annoying than azas grunt,i suppose it shows passion for the game,they are both giving me a headache though now lol.


Kimmi Says:

so close now. great hold!


carlo Says:

Whatever Petra is barking, it’s the same as come on in Czech a Czech fan said on the chat. But it doesn’t bother me at the end of a point. The howling Vika does with every stroke of the ball, even a drop shot, is ridiculous.

This is WTA, nothing is certain until the last shriek.


Kimmi Says:

match point…is this the last shriek coming up, carlo?


Kimmi Says:

great save.


Kimmi Says:

OK, time for petra is serve it out.


carlo Says:

LOL. I don’t know


alison hodge Says:

wow good hold from vika at match point down,will petra serve out or choke.


Kimmi Says:

Congrats petra, what a gutsy game to serve it out.


jane Says:

Great last point, good match! Congrats to Petra Kvitova.


carlo Says:

It’s Halloween. Brings meaning to Scream Queens.

Come On!!! Yes. Petra has the last screech! ha!

Petra Kvitova!


steve-o Says:

That was quite a match! Congrats to Kvitova on a well-earned victory against a very tough opponent. Azarenka never gave up, but Kvitova played so clutch in the third set.


alison hodge Says:

congrats to petra,tough for azarenka what a fighter,thats it now for the ladies, hopefully a new and exciting rivalry for next year,i think one of these ladies is the world no 1 in waiting.


grendel Says:

I agree with everyone, terrific scrap. Just shows that a nervewracking bite your fingers sort of a match doesn’t have to be great tennis. first 5 games, Kvitova was supreme – then she just gave it straight back. In the 2nd set, Azarenka played really well, and had a look of steel on her too. It was as if she were saying: you may be flashy, but I play the better tennis and I’m going to ram that thought down your throat. Kvitova was out of it but hanging on – those little shrieks were telling Azaranka she was still there, and the tables might turn.

In the 3rd, Azarenka had Kvitova reeling at 0-40 in the first game. That was the crunch, imo. She’s funny, Kvitova. Off court, she’s dead shy, looks a bit like a milk maid out of Tess of the Durbavilles. On the court, she runs through every emotion there is, including ultra cool and blind panic. Here, she showed her own steel and just clawed her way back to hold. After that, I felt the stuffing rather went out of Azarenka – she was still very much in it, but the 2nd set confidence was gone.

Funny thing is, Kvitova wasn’t playing very well, really. Her serve was a shadow of what it can be, and although she started coming up to the net again – she’d rather abandoned it in the 2nd – her volleys, usually so good, were on the innocuous side.

But she badly wanted to win and she kind of imposed herself on Azarenka – kind of a bluff, really, given her play.

You’ve got to wonder what Kvitova will be like next year. Is she going to keep improving? Do hope so. In those first 5 games, she looked like a Saxon warrior, there is something very exciting about her.

jane, I’m not going to the O2, but my son (elder)is. It is expensive as alison hodge says. They should take a leaf out of the Istanbul peoples’ book – £7 max for a ticket. The crowd looked engaged, didn’t it?


Colin Says:

If Kvitova – who’s young – can acquire more consistency, she could dominate the women’s game. Having said that, her present unpredictability must drive her opponents nuts. How do you settle into a rhythm if you don’t know what she’s going to do next? Her coach seems to have an excellent fatherly relationship with her, and manages to smile even when things go wrong.
By the way, is her top ill-fitting, or of too clinging material? She seems to be carrying surplus flesh on her belly, almost what we used to call a spare tyre (or tire if you’re American).


J.sa Says:

Oh boy, Istanbul 11 – what the show, what the tennis, what the result – all happy for Peta.. I am glad to see her able to win even not playing her best !!! Aza was better than my nerves wished. But Petra’s bark is the sign of hope to her fans !! And yes it is the czech equivalent of come on – spells “pojd” sound “pod”. Though it sounds just like the screem of relieve at times,too.
Love you Peta, you big humble girl, good luck in Fed cup and good 2012 !!!


alison hodge Says:

grendel please just call me alison, as you sound like one of my old school teachers telling me off, when you call me by my full name,(alison hodge get to the back of the class)lol,although i wasnt hodge back then.


grendel Says:

alison hodge – wednesday night, then, 6 p.m behind the woodshed?


carlo Says:

J.sa-

Thank-you for that post. That’s what it was, “pojd”!

Yes, she is a big, humble girl. Also a very talented Warrior. Great to have her tennis to watch!

Go Petra!


carlo Says:

LOL grendel and alison hodge behind the woodshed.


alison hodge Says:

grendel ok ill be there,will i get the cane though afterwards,otherwise i aint going,lol.


jane Says:

Yeah, grendel; the crowd looked happy & enthralled in Istanbul. Tennis for the people. All of ’em.

Too bad the O2 is pricey. At least you went last year, or the year before, right? And your elder son is going this year, so he can give you some firsthand accounts.


carlo Says:

For grendel and alison making me lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2XfYoPBlnA


alison hodge Says:

nice one carlo thanks for that lmfao.


Kimmi Says:

“pojd” thanks j.sa.

Funny the way she screams it though, no way it sounds like pod to me. ha


J.sa Says:

To Kimmi – well, here is the difficulty : it is not “pod” with the hard “d” but very soft “d”
which I have no way to describe…And she puts stress on the middle “o” which makes the “d” sound disappear /and her mouths so big at that moment, o:)/


alison hodge Says:

j.sa and kimmi sounds like a scream to me,im still none the wiser,whatever works for her i suppose is all that matters.


Kimmi Says:

j.sa – i guess she has a unique was of screaming “pojd”. maybe somebody else would say it different. It is what makes kvitova. there was lots of these screams in the third set, she was even doing it when vika made errors lol. i was thinking that must be annoying for opponent. she really wanted it and she is an emotional player.

I hope she becomes even better. the commentator on feed i was watching said all tournaments she won this year has some kind of a roof. apparently she hasnt done well in an open court stadium. Well, we will see.


carlo Says:

alison-

No offense taken on the other thread. And no thin skin about any tennis player. I’m actually very happy where Del Potro is at #11 this week. He began 2011 at like #400++. If he can finish close to top 10 that’s a good enough start for 2012.

I see Juan has an unlucky draw in Valencia. Tursunov, then Anderson again and if he gets by Anderson, another Tsonga match.

Trying to figure out how I can watch Basel’s opening ceremony and Federer vs Starace.


carlo Says:

Google translate (with sound) is always fun to hear the pronunciation. But “pojd” on google translate audio and how it sounds when Kvitova screams it is quite different.


J.sa Says:

Yes, kind of like …poooooooooood, Alison.
Anyway I pick up some hints from previous entries.
I smiled at the comparison to milk maid Tess, as I proudly!! refer to her /to my in tennis not much interested am. husband/ as to “our country girl”. She is shy off court and I would assume /based own my own exp./it is mainly bec. of poor ability to express herself in Eng. properly. But she is shy with czech press too, kind of. I think she is still getting used / will she ever?/ to all that fuss around… Like she is puzzled why everybody is laughing at her for still happily driving her old czech made Skoda car. And not knowing how much is on her acc. and what price money is..
Behind the shyness there is admirably strong personality of her own kind. She is different and that is what is so exiting and attractive about her even though I agree she could have picked more flattering outfit /but it is much better than it used to be now/..and there is still so much ahead of her… Unless- here is the joke among the cz. tennis fans, no offense to anbd., – “..do not let Radek Stepanek come near her ..!!”
Sory for the rant, I am still happy for her….


El Flaco Says:

Oh my some tough 1st round matches in Valencia

Ferrer-Verdasco
Simon-Davydenko
Cilic-Raonic


Kimmi Says:

j.sa – the radek stepanek joke is everywhere i am afraid, not just among czech fan. hopefully he stay married and faithful to vaidasova :)

what you say is what makes her special. like a girl next door. somebody from nowhere with so much talent. We havent heard a lot about her yet. I am sure we will learn more.

The outfits are actually not bad. nike outfits have always been very good, unless you are sharapova anything will look good. Like grendel said, she has steadily been losing weight in the last year or so, she will look better and better as she grows imo. with the money she won today, who knows maybe she will buy herself a nice expensive car.


J.sa Says:

Carlo,
they are basically right at Google , that’s how you say “pojd” while in recliner and sipping from cup of tea..lol. what she does is roar of “pojd”=poood


alison hodge Says:

carlo i also hope jmdp can get back to the top,mens tennis needs him,with roger coming to the natural end of his career,the jury still out on rafa,murray yet to make an impression regarding grand slams,nole needs the competition,i wish jmdp good luck this week i think he will need it again,with a draw like that,perhaps you can get roger on live streaming,im hoping he or muzza take the title this week,muzza would be great 4 in a row,roger hasnt won a title since january,im just dissapointed rafas missing,although i think he needs the rest,looking forward to seeing him back next week.

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