Top-seed Azarenka survives ‘bad day’ with late recovery

Published on 29/05/2012 00:10

Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka turned it on when she had to yesterday, winning 12 of the final 14 games to scramble into the second round at the French Open.

The Australian Open champion, who took over the No 1 ranking by winning in Melbourne, struggled for long stretches but came back to beat Alberta Brianti of Italy 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 6-2. No top-seeded woman has lost in the first round at the French Open since the tournament began to allow foreign entrants in 1925.

“Sometimes I felt it was not my day. Sometimes I thought, yeah, maybe I still fight, I still have a chance,” Azarenka said. “Sometimes it was like, you know what? Forget it. I don’t want to do it.”

Brianti, a 32-year-old veteran who has won one WTA title in her career, won the first set and then led 4-0 in the second before losing six straight games. She nearly served for the match but Azarenka saved two break points before making it 4-1 in the second set.

And although Azarenka rebounded over the final two sets, she finished the match with 60 unforced errors.

“I think it says it all. Bad days happen,” she said. “Unfortunately, today I had way more mistakes than I usually do, but, you know, it happens sometimes.”

Defending women’s champion Li Na also won easily, beating Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-2, 6-1.

Meanwhile, Laura Robson feels her game is in good shape heading into the grass-court season after her eventful French Open run came to an end in the first round.

The 18-year-old was given a reprieve after losing in the final round of qualifying on Friday and then benefited from the withdrawal of Silvia Soler-Espinosa with an ankle injury.

But her prize was a clash with 29th seed Anabel Medina Garrigues, whose ten clay titles are the most of any active player on the WTA Tour, and the Spaniard proved too strong in a 6-2 6-1 victory.