20 February,2012 10:59 AM IST | | AFP
Victoria Azarenka extended her domination over Samantha Stosur to win her third successive title of the year at the WTA Qatar Open yesterday, taking her 2012 record to 17 straight wins.
The Belarusian world number one showed no signs of discomfort from her overnight injury scare in the semi-finals against Agnieszka Radwanska by beating a listless Stosur, the US Open champion, 6-1, 6-2 in a one-sided final.
The Qatar Open was Azarenka's 11th title, 10 of them coming on hard courts, as she maintained her perfect record against the Australian who she has beaten in five career clashes beginning in 2008, with none of the matches going to three sets.
Remarkable
Yesterday's win also completed a remarkable 12 months for Azarenka who lost to Daniela Hantuchova in the first round in Doha in 2011, a defeat that led her to contemplate retirement before being talked out of it
by her mother and grandmother.
"I am really proud of the way I played today," said Azarenka, fighting back tears. "I was not 100 per cent after my fall yesterday and I knew I had to adjust my game and everything went according to plan."
