It’s been a week of firsts at the Brisbane International. For the first time in the tournament’s history the top four women made it to the semifinals. And now, for the first time we have the top two seeds facing off in the final – Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka.
Not only are they the top two seeds in Brisbane, but they are the No.1 and No.2 players in the world respectively. In the past two years they have won six of the eight majors on offer – two for Azarenka, four for Williams.
So it comes as no surprise that during that two year period these two have encountered each other a lot – nine times in fact. Williams has won on seven occasions, including two hard-fought US Open finals and she’s ready to repeat that success.
“I think it’ll be a really good match to see where we both stand as the two most consistent players of the last year and a half,” said Williams.
“She’s so intense on the court, and then off the court she’s so cool. So I think that’s what makes the rivalry the best, is because when you step on the court I don’t know her and she doesn’t know me and we fight like crazy.
“When it’s over it’s over. There is a lot of mutual respect there.”
Williams, who spoke of her love of “holding up trophies” after dispatching Maria Sharapova in a tense semifinal, is the tournament’s most recent champion, while Azarenka was the inaugural winner here in 2009 when she won her first ever WTA final.
“Back then definitely I don’t think it was the same field as it is today,” said Azarenka.
“I think it was my fifth final or something, you know, and I so wanted to win that first title. This is a little bit different emotion, but definitely great feeling to be back.”
Williams is also looking to win her second title, but for the American victory on Saturday night will make her the first woman to win consecutive Brisbane titles.
Both have a lot to play for and will be desperate to start the new season with a victory that may just prove to be a mental edge leading into the Australian Open.
It’s been a long time between semifinals on home soil for Lleyton Hewitt – nine years in fact. The last time coming at Australian Open 2005 when he made it all the way to the final.
Standing in Hewitt’s way of his first Brisbane final is men’s second seed Kei Nishikori whose all-court game proved too much for Croatian Marin Cilic in the quarterfinals.
These two have met just once – on grass at Wimbledon in 2011, when Hewitt took the spoils. Unfortunately for Hewitt, he doesn’t have the advantage of playing on grass and Nishikori’s game is suited to hard courts.
One advantage the Australian will have is a passionate, vocal crowd on his side. If Hewitt can get on top early he could pull off an upset.
The second men’s semifinal between top seed Roger Federer and Frenchman Jeremy Chardy will close the Pat Rafter Arena day session. Federer and Chardy both ousted locals in the quarterfinals – Marinko Matosevic and Sam Groth respectively.
Good friends off court, their passage from arrival to semifinal couldn’t be more different. From a press conference before he had even left the arrival lounge at Brisbane International Airport, Federer’s every move has been watched, filmed, photographed and reported on by an insatiable media for a Federer-hungry audience.
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Meanwhile, eighth seed Chardy has quietly gone about his business, building his case for a second ATP title with neither fanfare nor fuss.
Surprisingly these two have never met in an ATP match or at a Grand Slam, so if Chardy wins he could cheekily boast to his friend that he holds a winning record over one of the game’s all-time greats.
Following the women’s singles final, Kristina Mladenovic and Galina Voskoboeva will take on Alla Kudryavtseva and Anastasia Rodionova in the women’s doubles final.
The time and court for Federer’s doubles seminal with partner Nicolas Mahut against fourth seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah is TBA. Check brisbaneinternational.com.au or follow us on Twitter (@brisbanetennis) for up-to-date information