INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA
Victoria azarenka continued her near-perfect start to 2016 by showing vintage form against an out of sorts World No.1 Serena Williams to win the bnp Paribas open final, 6-4, 6-4, and return to the Top 10.
Playing in her first Indian Wells final since 2001, the top seed hadn't dropped a set through her first five matches but struggled throughout the nearly 90-minute match, converting just one of 10 break point opportunities and striking 33 unforced errors.
Azarenka, by contrast, won 86% of her first serve points, and held off an impressive fightback from the 21-time Grand Slam champion - who won four games in a row with two chances to level the second set from 1-5 down - to win her second Indian Wells title, and first Premier Mandatory event since the 2012 China Open
A gracious Serena fought back tears during her runner-up speech.
"It was really hard the last moment I had here wasn't the greatest, so thank you so much," she said, addressing the crowd.
"Thank you so much for the cheers; I can't tell you how much it means to me. I can't even begin to tell you!
"I'm just so happy to be able to stand here again."
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