Azarenka wins second title in Australia with Sydney success

Jan 13, 2012, 11:20 GMT

Sydney - Victoria Azarenka dethroned holder Li Na with a 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 victory on Friday to win the women's title at the Sydney International. The win marked the second title in Australia for the US-based player from Belarus, who also claimed Brisbane honours its inaugaural year of 2009.

The Saturday men's final will be contested between Jarkko Nieminen and Frenchman Julien Benneteau, with the 30-year-old Finn playing for the Sydney title for a second time.

Azarenka claimed her ninth career title in just over two hours, breaking on five of ten occasions. The European followed up on her win over Li at the year-end finals in November.

China's tennis hero was bidding to become the first since retired Russian Elena Dementieva to claim back-to-back Sydney trophies.

'It was a tough match, I'm so glad to win,' said Azarenka. 'I'm hoping to now do well at the Australian Open.'

Li, who engineered a fightback by winning six straight games from 1-1 in the second set, was disappointed but satisfied with her current form.

'Victoria did a good job here - she beat me,' joked the Chinese. 'I'm still looking forward to coming back next year.'

Nieminen became the first qualifier since Ivo Minar in 2005 Ivo Minar) to reach the final thanks to a 7-6 (14-12), 6-3 defeat of after he defeated Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin.

Bennateau, another veteran ranked 49th, put a French player into the final for a second straight year with his defeat of 2010 champion Marcos Baghdatis 6-4, 6-4.

Niieminen is hoping to go one win better than he did at the event in 2009. 'I'm feeling really good and this is a really great confidence boost for me,' said the holder of one ATP title, earned six years ago in Auckland.

'My goal is to continue playing well. If I can do that, then I'm happy. We'll see if it is enough to win the title.'

Benneteau, who will try to match the Sydney exploits of 2011 winner Gilles Simon and Guy Forget, Henri Leconte and Yannick Noah before that, said he was happy with his form heading into the Saturday final.

'I've been playing at a good level for the past two weeks and I hope to maintain that tomorrow,' he said. 'It would mean a lot to me to win my first Tour title here in Sydney.'

The pair have met five times, with Nieminen having won their previous four meetings. Nieminen won their last match on clay in Monte Carlo in April.

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