Maria Sharapova has clinched the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix title with a big win over Victoria AzarenkaYou can watch and bet on WTA Women’s Championships live for free at bet365 > live streaming > tennisMaria Sharapova had been on a losing streak against Victoria Azarenka in 2012, but she ended it at this year’s Porsche Tennis Grand Prix with an emphatic 6-1, 6-4 win. The victory could mark a major turning point in the season, with Sharapova, the world No. 2, looking to close in on the Belarusian at the top of the WTA rankings.
“This was such a tough tournament with such difficult opponents, so I'm just happy to be the champion,” said Sharapova after the win. “I came to Europe this year a bit earlier than I usually do. I added this to my schedule and was going to use it as a warm-up tournament for the clay court season. But maybe I should start doing it every year since it's obviously working for me.”
“I had lost the last few previous encounters with Victoria, so I was extremely motivated today,” continued the Russian. “When I got the chance to go out and play her again I knew I had to change a few things. Before I was maybe a little bit impatient and went for a bit too much sometimes, but this time I was really patient. I was aggressive but consistent when I had to be against her. I felt I played quite smart in the important moments in the match.”
Azarenka refused to blame her wrist injury for the loss. “It's obviously not how I wanted it to turn out in the final today, but I'm not going to sit here and look for excuses - that's not my style,” she remarked.”
“I lost today and that's it, I'm moving on. The world doesn't end. There's going to be another big tournament in one week and I just have to look forward. There's no looking back, even for a little bit. In the end, it was still a good week for me. And Maria served really well and her game was really on. All credit to her.”
