Rivalry Record September 10, 2020

Rivalry record: Serena Williams vs Victoria Azarenka

Former World No.1s Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka have met 22 times, 10 of which were on the Grand Slam stage - including many classic contests. Ahead of their US Open semifinal tonight, look back on a rivalry which Williams leads 18-4 overall.

Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka met for the first time in the third round of the 2008 Australian Open, with Williams defeating an 18-year-old Azarenka - who was seeded at a major for the first time at No.26 - 6-3, 6-4. — 01 /22

Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka met for the first time in the third round of the 2008 Australian Open, with Williams defeating an 18-year-old Azarenka - who was seeded at a major for the first time at No.26 - 6-3, 6-4.

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One year and one round later, the last 16 of the 2009 Australian Open saw Williams advance after Azarenka was forced to retire due to illness while leading 6-3, 2-4, with the American eventually going on to lift her 10th Grand Slam trophy. — 02 /22

One year and one round later, the last 16 of the 2009 Australian Open saw Williams advance after Azarenka was forced to retire due to illness while leading 6-3, 2-4, with the American eventually going on to lift her 10th Grand Slam trophy.

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Two months after that, Azarenka - in the week she had cracked the Top 10 for the first time - finished what she had started in Australia by stunning Williams 6-3, 6-1 in the Miami final to seal her maiden Premier Mandatory title. — 03 /22

Two months after that, Azarenka - in the week she had cracked the Top 10 for the first time - finished what she had started in Australia by stunning Williams 6-3, 6-1 in the Miami final to seal her maiden Premier Mandatory title.

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Wimbledon 2009 saw Williams regain the upper hand in the rivalry in emphatic fashion, dismissing Azarenka 6-2, 6-3 en route to her 11th Grand Slam crown. — 04 /22

Wimbledon 2009 saw Williams regain the upper hand in the rivalry in emphatic fashion, dismissing Azarenka 6-2, 6-3 en route to her 11th Grand Slam crown.

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A third straight Australian Open meeting in 2010, each a round further than the previous year, saw a patented Williams comeback from a set and 0-4 down in the quarterfinals, quelling Azarenka 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 and going on to her 12th major title. — 05 /22

A third straight Australian Open meeting in 2010, each a round further than the previous year, saw a patented Williams comeback from a set and 0-4 down in the quarterfinals, quelling Azarenka 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 and going on to her 12th major title.

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Ranked World No.80 in the summer of her comeback from the foot injury that had sidelined her for nearly a year, Williams defeated Azarenka 6-3, 6-3 in the 2011 Toronto semifinals, going on to claim her second title in a row. — 06 /22

Ranked World No.80 in the summer of her comeback from the foot injury that had sidelined her for nearly a year, Williams defeated Azarenka 6-3, 6-3 in the 2011 Toronto semifinals, going on to claim her second title in a row.

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Three weeks later, seeded No.28 at the 2011 US Open, Williams was drawn against No.4 seed Azarenka in the third round, and reprised the win 6-1, 7-6(5) before going on to reach the final. — 07 /22

Three weeks later, seeded No.28 at the 2011 US Open, Williams was drawn against No.4 seed Azarenka in the third round, and reprised the win 6-1, 7-6(5) before going on to reach the final.

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The second final the pair would contest was at Madrid 2012, where Williams won the only incarnation of the tournament on blue clay 6-1, 6-3 over Azarenka, who was now World No.1 after winning her first major at that year's Australian Open. — 08 /22

The second final the pair would contest was at Madrid 2012, where Williams won the only incarnation of the tournament on blue clay 6-1, 6-3 over Azarenka, who was now World No.1 after winning her first major at that year's Australian Open.

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The 2012 Wimbledon semifinals saw Williams withstand a late Azarenka fightback from a set and a break down to survive 6-3, 7-6(6), going on to lift her 14th Grand Slam trophy. — 09 /22

The 2012 Wimbledon semifinals saw Williams withstand a late Azarenka fightback from a set and a break down to survive 6-3, 7-6(6), going on to lift her 14th Grand Slam trophy.

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A month later, the pair met again on Wimbledon's Centre Court in the semifinals of the 2012 London Olympic Games; Williams won 6-1, 6-2 and went on to claim the gold medal, while Azarenka bounced back to defeat Maria Kirilenko for the bronze medal. — 10 /22

A month later, the pair met again on Wimbledon's Centre Court in the semifinals of the 2012 London Olympic Games; Williams won 6-1, 6-2 and went on to claim the gold medal, while Azarenka bounced back to defeat Maria Kirilenko for the bronze medal.

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The pair contested their first Grand Slam final at the 2012 US Open - and it was a thriller, with Williams coming back from 3-5 down and two points from losing in the deciding set to seal her 15th major trophy 6-2, 2-6, 7-5. — 11 /22

The pair contested their first Grand Slam final at the 2012 US Open - and it was a thriller, with Williams coming back from 3-5 down and two points from losing in the deciding set to seal her 15th major trophy 6-2, 2-6, 7-5.

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Underlining her stranglehold of the rivalry at this point, Williams posted her ninth straight win over Azarenka 6-4, 6-4 in the round-robin stage of the 2012 Istanbul WTA Finals, extending her overall head-to-head lead to a dominant 11-1. — 12 /22

Underlining her stranglehold of the rivalry at this point, Williams posted her ninth straight win over Azarenka 6-4, 6-4 in the round-robin stage of the 2012 Istanbul WTA Finals, extending her overall head-to-head lead to a dominant 11-1.

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Fresh off defending her Australian Open title, Azarenka would eventually snap Williams's streak of wins in the 2013 Doha final, saving a set point in the first set to claim her 16th trophy 7-6(6), 2-6, 6-3. — 13 /22

Fresh off defending her Australian Open title, Azarenka would eventually snap Williams's streak of wins in the 2013 Doha final, saving a set point in the first set to claim her 16th trophy 7-6(6), 2-6, 6-3.

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Williams's 34-match winning streak in the spring of 2013 meant that the American went unbeaten on clay that year, including a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Azarenka in the Rome final. — 14 /22

Williams's 34-match winning streak in the spring of 2013 meant that the American went unbeaten on clay that year, including a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Azarenka in the Rome final.

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2013 is the only year to date in which Azarenka has scored multiple wins over Williams, the Belarusian taking the Cincinnati final in a two-and-a-half-hour epic 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(6). — 15 /22

2013 is the only year to date in which Azarenka has scored multiple wins over Williams, the Belarusian taking the Cincinnati final in a two-and-a-half-hour epic 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(6).

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At the 2013 US Open, the pair clashed in a fourth final that year and second straight in New York, and it was another rollercoaster: Williams lost a double-break lead in the second set, but eventually won her 17th major 7-5, 6-7(6), 6-1 over Azarenka. — 16 /22

At the 2013 US Open, the pair clashed in a fourth final that year and second straight in New York, and it was another rollercoaster: Williams lost a double-break lead in the second set, but eventually won her 17th major 7-5, 6-7(6), 6-1 over Azarenka.

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Williams would put together a 25-match winning streak across the end of 2013 and start of 2014, including a 6-4, 7-5 defeat of Azarenka in the Brisbane final in which she came from a break down in the second set. — 17 /22

Williams would put together a 25-match winning streak across the end of 2013 and start of 2014, including a 6-4, 7-5 defeat of Azarenka in the Brisbane final in which she came from a break down in the second set.

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Ranked World No.31 and on the comeback trail from a foot injury, Azarenka held triple match point over Williams in the third round of Madrid 2015 serving at 6-5 in the decider, only for the American to pull out a 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-6(1) escape. — 18 /22

Ranked World No.31 and on the comeback trail from a foot injury, Azarenka held triple match point over Williams in the third round of Madrid 2015 serving at 6-5 in the decider, only for the American to pull out a 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-6(1) escape.

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A month later in the 2015 Roland Garros quarterfinals, Williams inflicted another heartbreaking loss on Azarenka, coming from a set and a break down to triumph 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 - one of five three-setters she won en route to her 20th major crown. — 19 /22

A month later in the 2015 Roland Garros quarterfinals, Williams inflicted another heartbreaking loss on Azarenka, coming from a set and a break down to triumph 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 - one of five three-setters she won en route to her 20th major crown.

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All three matches the pair contested in 2015 would be three-set classics, and all would be won by Williams, who took their Wimbledon quarterfinal 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 en route to completing the second 'Serena Slam' of her career. — 20 /22

All three matches the pair contested in 2015 would be three-set classics, and all would be won by Williams, who took their Wimbledon quarterfinal 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 en route to completing the second 'Serena Slam' of her career.

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A resurgent Azarenka snapped the streak of five losses to Williams in the 2016 Indian Wells final, winning 6-4, 6-4 to seal her return to the Top 10 after nearly two years - and going on to become the fourth player ever to capture the Sunshine Double. — 21 /22

A resurgent Azarenka snapped the streak of five losses to Williams in the 2016 Indian Wells final, winning 6-4, 6-4 to seal her return to the Top 10 after nearly two years - and going on to become the fourth player ever to capture the Sunshine Double.

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Three years later, having both become mothers in the intervening time, Williams and Azarenka met in the second round of Indian Wells 2019, with the American taking the honors 7-5, 6-3. — 22 /22

Three years later, having both become mothers in the intervening time, Williams and Azarenka met in the second round of Indian Wells 2019, with the American taking the honors 7-5, 6-3.

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