It was a match full of drama, especially on the third set, but eventually it was Belarussian Victoria Azarenka that prevailed at the Western & Southern Open 2013 in Cincinnati after the world number two defeated top-ranked Serena Williams 2-6, 6-2, 7-6. It was a match reminiscent of the US Open 2012 final between these two ladies but this time it was Williams who served for the match but was broken to force a tiebreaker in the third set.
The loss means that Serena Williams is still chasing her first Cincinnati title but she can take solace to the fact that the final appearance was her best finish at this event. She also won the US Open Series by virtue of winning her semifinal match against Li Na. She’s eligible to win up to $3.6 million in prize money if she successfully defends the US Open title.
Azarenka’s title win at Cincinnati will certainly a confidence booster heading to the US Open which starts on August 26.
