Serena Williams vs Victoria Azarenka – A Captivating Rivalry in The Women’s Game

The feisty American tennis player Serena Williams stepped into the fourth decade of her WTA service with a title in Auckland. Her longevity simply signifies her dominance across at least four generations of tennis.

Beginning with her sister Venus and till the young wave Naomi Osaka, Serena is famous for legendary rivalries with multi-time Grand Slam champions across numerous age groups of the sport.

One such rivalry of Serena Williams is against the two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka. It has been one of the most compelling rivalries in the women’s track of tennis.

It began when Azarenka was a teenager. And their rivalry is still persisting with both of them being mothers on the professional track. 

Their recent encounter as mothers at Indian Wells 2019’s second round was an engrossing battle. Arguably, it was one of the best WTA matches of the year 2019 with Williams winning 7-5, 6-3. 

Serena Williams vs Victoria Azarenka – Head to Head records

To begin with, the ladies have played each other 22 times in their careers. Serena has just dropped four matches against the former World Number One from Belarus.

Their rivalry was ignited during the third round of Australian Open 2008 where Williams got a straight-sets victory. And to date, Serena hasn’t dropped a Grand Slam match against Victoria.

Back then, the tennis world did not really predict that the then-19-year-old Azarenka will be a tough challenge for the now-23-time major champion Williams later in her career.

Serena Williams vs Victoria Azarenka – Their enthralling battles

The duo of Azarenka and Williams played a phenomenal match at Australian Open 2010. Seventh-seeded Azarenka won the first set 6-4 over the defending champion Williams. She was leading by 4-0 in the second.

Williams was on the edge of getting dispatched from Melbourne, and she thought to take the next flight to Florida. Despite the odds, the girl from Compton bounced back with a 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2 victory. Later, the American typhoon progressed to seize her 12th Grand Slam. 

Their US Open 2012 championship match, is a breathtaking battle to remember in the women’s game. Azarenka was two points away from her second Grand Slam of the year, as she was 5-3 up in the third set. But with keeping her cool, Williams turned around the match for a 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 victory for her 15th major crown.

“I honestly can’t believe I won,” Williams said. “I really was preparing my runner-up speech, because I thought, ‘Man, she’s playing so great.’ I’m really shocked.”

With the conversion of those two points, Azarenka could have had three Grand Slams to her name today and a win against Williams at a Grand Slam. But sadly, the game of tennis has a brutal scoring system. “Being so close, it hurts deeply,” Azarenka said. “To know you don’t have it. You’re close; you didn’t get it.”

US Open 2013 finals: Seed one vs Seed two

They once again played a classic match at the US Open finals in the year 2013 as the top-two seeds. And again Serena Williams won 7-5, 6-7 (6), 6-1. “From the first point, the tension, the battle, the determination. It was … kind of like boiling the water or something,” Azarenka said.

Azarenka’s victories over Williams

Interestingly, Victoria Azarenka is the only player to ever win four WTA tour-level finals against Serena Williams. Her four victories against Serena were pulled off in Miami Masters 2009 finals, Doha Open 2013 finals, Cincinnati Open 2013 finals, and Indian Wells 2016 finals.