This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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Azarenka, Stosur and Radwanska Also Advance to SemisWith so many top seeds faltering at the Rogers Cup Toronto, fans and organizers breathed a sigh of relief after the conclusion of Friday’s quarterfinal matchups. Although she is unseeded in the tournament, fan-favourite Serena Williams muscled her way past Lucie Safarova at the Rexall Centre to advance to the semifinals on Saturday.
Williams performed well throughout the match and did not show the type of rust expected of a player playing in just her fourth tournament of the year. She returned to the WTA tour in June after an 11-month layoff where she battled injury and health issues. Since her return, Williams has been displaying some good tennis but the expectations on her are very high every time she steps out on the court.
“Right now I’m just really taking it a day at a time and just a game at a time and a match at a time,” said Williams.
“I definitely feel like I’m coming back from a layoff. I definitely don’t feel like ‑‑ it trips me out, though, that this is only my fourth tournament. I feel like it may have been like eight tournaments, but it’s only number four. So I don’t know. A lot of people are still expecting me to be at the top level, and I expect it even more. It’s kind of interesting.”
Williams looked to be in good shape early in the match and was up 3-2 in the first set. However, Safarova rattled off three straight games to go up 5-3 and eventually closed out the first set 6-4. The second set had a very entertaining start as both fought hard for the opening two games going back and forth, but both held serve and were tied at 1-1. Williams then took over the set by winning three straight games as well to lead 4-1 before eventually winning the set 6-3.
The third set started just as the second with both players fighting hard for every point. Safarova and Williams each held serve in the first four games and were tied at 2-2. In the following game, Williams was at break point but Safarova’s hard serve made her opponent jump back before placing a perfect drop shot for deuce. After another hard fought game, Williams was able to break the Czech to go up 3-2.At times Williams did struggle with her serve – having ups and downs throughout the match and finished with eight aces and seven double faults. After holding serve in the next game, she hit two great and almost identical cross court baseline winners to break Safarova again and went up 5-2, taking full control of the match. Williams served out the set winning the final game in straight points and winning the match 4-6 6-3 6-2.
“Lefties are just different, and it definitely took getting used to,” said Williams of Safarova after the match. “I haven’t played Lucie in a long time. I kind of forgot how she plays, and she’s definitely a great player and doing so well.”
The Final Four
Williams will now play fourth seed Victoria Azarenka in one semifinal after she easily dispatched Kazakh qualifier Galina Voskoboeva in straight sets 6-1 6-2. Voskoboeva was having a great run at the tournament having already upset ninth seed Marion Bartoli in the first round followed by Flavia Pennetta and fifth seed Maria Sharapova.“Yeah, I know her (Voskoboeva) for a long time, but worried, no,” said Azarenka after winning her match. “I mean, of course I had to take in consideration she’s been playing really well. I was more focused on my game and trying to execute my shots and moving myself than the opponent’s game. So it worked out for me well that I was really focused on me than on her.”
Azarenka played on Friday afternoon and did not know who her opponent was going to be in the semifinal, but did say she was very impressed with Williams’ since her return to the tour.
“Well, she’s a great player,” said Azarenka. “I mean, you can see she has so many weapons, you know, especially her big serve – just have to fight against her. I haven’t played her in a while. Since she has been back, she has been showing some excellent tennis. So I really have to step up the level a little bit, and try to be focused on me, not on who I’m going to play.”
Williams, a former World number one, will face her toughest opponent of the draw so far in Azarenka, but she’s just going to play her game and hope for a place in the final. Azarenka has not lost a set so far and is the highest ranking player left in the tournament.
“Yeah, well, she’s the better ranked player and she’s had a great, fantastic tournament winning several tournaments already on hard court,” said Williams. “She’s a power player. She’s smart, she’s young, she has fresh legs. She has everything going for her right now. And me, I’m just going to go in there with just trying to do my best.”The other semifinal matchup will feature Australian Samantha Stosur and Pole Agnieszka Radwanska. Both had very little trouble disposing of their opponents winning in straight sets in their quarterfinal matchups. The tenth seeded Stosur was the first to advance on Friday after her 6-4 6-1 victory over Italian Roberta Vinci. Meanwhile, 13th seed Radwanska continued her winning ways with an easy win over German Andrea Petkovic who was seeded eleventh. Radwanska won the San Diego Open last week and is currently on a nine match winning streak.
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