Azarenka to sweep Sharapova on a hard court again

Victoria Azarenka is a worthy favourite to win the US Open women`s singles semi-final between two of the loudest grunters ever to swing a tennis racquet professionally.

Azarenka lines up against Maria Sharapova for the 10th time in their respective careers and, although the head-to-head data reads only 5-4 in the Belarusian`s favour, there is more joy for the US Open women`s singles semi-final favourite as one digs deeper into the statistics.

First, Azarenka leads Sharapova on all courts except those made of clay. And of the two hard-court defeats that the world number one has suffered at the hands of the Russian, only one of them took place outside in the open air.

Second, Azarenka has won her last four hard-court matches versus Sharapova and done so without dropping a set. The Belarusian has beaten her Russian rival without losing more than five games in all their hard-court meetings since 2010.

Azarenka has been more impressive in reaching the US Open women`s singles last four than Sharapova, giving away only 10 games in her first four matches before scrapping to a 6-1 4-6 7-6 victory over 2011 champion, Samantha Stosur. The Russian, on the other hand, was in trouble against Nadia Petrova and Marion Bartoli before rallying to survive.

Bookmakers have pegged Azarenka at around 8-15 and Sharapova at around 15-8. While the 8-15 offer about the Belarusian is attractive, even more so is the 5-4 about her reaching her second Grand Slam singles final with a straight-sets win.

Serena Williams and Sara Errani will contest the other US Open women`s singles semi-final and bookmakers can only see one winner, with the American trading at around 1-18.

Williams and Errani have met three times during their wildly contrasting professional careers and the American is up 3-0, including two victories on outdoor hard courts.

Errani fans will point to the fact that she has not played Williams for more than three years and that, when last they met, the Italian won the first set. However, the American blasted back in Dubai to win the next two sets 6-2 6-0 and her Flushing Meadows form this year has been brilliant.

Williams has progressed to the US Open women`s singles semi-finals without looking like dropping a set, losing no more than half a dozen games in any of her ties and taking out her fourth round match with a double-bagel triumph.

Only the heaviest of heavy hitters will be tempted to back Williams, either at 1-18 to beat Errani or at around 2-9 to defeat the Italian in straight sets. It is a no-bet match unless one is going to include the American in accumulators.

Novak Djokovic and David Ferrer are the favourites for the US Open men`s singles quarter-finals that have been delayed by rain in New York. Djokovic leads Juan Martin Del Potro 5-2 irrespective of surface and 3-0 on hard courts, while Ferrer leads Janko Tipsarevic 2-1 irrespective of surface and 1-0 on hard courts. Both odds-on shots should prevail.

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06/09/2012     © Frixo 2024