By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
Vika Azarenka became only the third woman to win the “Coast-to-Coast Double” Saturday when she defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 6-2 to win the Miami Open.
Azarenka’s win comes two weeks after winning the title at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., on the west coast. The last woman to win the two most important North American hard court titles was Kim Clijsters in 2005. Steffi Graf also turned the dual-coast double in 1994 and 1996 (wedging in a title in Delray Beach, Fla., in between in 1994).
“I feel blessed,” said Azarenka to ESPN2’s Brad Gilbert following her win. “It’s an honor to stand next to those amazing champions (Clijsters and Graf). It’s great to play the whole month so consistent.”
With a victory also in Brisbane and a quarterfinal finish at the Australian Open, Azarenka has shown the best form on the WTA Tour so far in 2016, besting her record to 22-1 for the year with her win in Miami. The Belarussian, who ranked No. 1 in the world in 2012, dropped to No. 32 at the end of 2014 due to injuries. She slowly began to regain her form, fitness and confidence through the 2015 season. Her tournament win in Brisbane in January was her first since Cincinnati in 2013
“This win consolidates the locker room feeling that that Vika is definitely back,” said Cliff Drysdale on ESPN2.
Countered Mary Joe Fernandez also on ESPN2, “Mentally, she is stronger. She is confident. She is playing the best since she was No. 1 in the world.”
Her victory in Miami, her 20th WTA singles title of her career, moves her to the No. 5 WTA Tour ranking.
Incidentally, Azarenka’s “Coast-to-Coast” double win came exactly 11 years to the day when it was last achieved by a woman, as the win from Clijsters in 2005 is described below from the April 2, 2005 excerpt of the book, ebook, audio book and mobile app “This Day In Tennis History” (www.TennisHistoryApp.com) here:
April 2, 2005…Kim Cljisters defeats Maria Sharapova 6-3, 7-5 to win the women’s singles final at the NASDAQ-100 Open in Key Biscayne, Fla. Coupled with her win two weeks earlier in Indian Wells, Calif., Clijsters becomes only the second woman to win the rare “Coast-to-Coast Double” sweep of the two important Indian Wells-Key Biscayne back-to-back tournaments in the spring calendar. Clijsters joins Steffi Graf, who won both Indian Wells and Key Biscayne back-to-back in 1994 and 1996. Her win over Sharapova moves her to No. 17 in the rankings, after missing most of 2004 with a wrist injury. She last ranked No. 1 in the world on Nov. 9, 2003.
