Right well I've done enough on the guys best matches of the year, now I thought I would so something on the ladies, as there have been plenty of excellent matches this season with some incredible stuff throughout. Because I thought I would combine all the surfaces to avoid having to do a separate post each and instead I've picked 10 matches throughout the year, so this post will be in two parts, for the top 10-6, and then 5-1 (you get the idea). Right with no further ados, let's get on with it. By the way this is going to be tough and take some digging arounf but hopefully I'll get there!
10. Sony Ericsson Open 4th round, Victoria Azarenka d. Dominika Cibulkova, 1-6, 7-6, 7-5.
This was quite an extarordinary match to open the proceedings with as Vika came into this match on an unbeaten 25 match winning streak, as she appeared to be doing a Djokovic. However the first real signs of her fatigue started to set in, in this match, as Victoria struggled badly on her serve, whereas Cibulkova started off the match with some amazing tennis, blasting winners left, right and centre off Victoria's ailing serve and return game, as she confidently went on to take the first set 6-1. In the 2nd set, it was more of the same where Vika struggled with herself on court, showing signs of emotion (nearly in tears at one point) and she went a double break down. However it wasn't before long with Cibulkova serving for the match to end Vika's unbeaten run at 5-1, that Vika broke back and rattled off the next 4 games to level the score, and the 2nd went to a tiebreak, which Vika eventually won to take the match into the decider. In the decider both players traded breaks with Cibulkova still game throughout, however she eventually faltered on serve at 5-6 to hand Vika her 26th match in of the season, after an incredibly hard fought 1-6, 7-6, 7-5 win. This really was quite a Houdini-esque performance from Victoria Azarenka here, as she clearly for the first half of the match struggled with her emotions on court, as well as feeling the fatigue of her success. But the tennis from Cibulkova was superb for the most part, especially the aggressive way she went about it, and she came mighty close to ending Vika's winning streak, but she just came up short at the very end. But she did the hard work to try and end the run, but in the next match it was Bartoli that finished her off, but that's another match and another post, and this was a great one to start with.
9. Wimbledon 1st round, Tamira Paszek d. Caroline Wozniacki, 5-7, 7-6, 6-4.
In a first round match in a grand slam, its quite common that you can get some incredible encounters, and this one certainly fit the bill, as the former World No.1, who came into this tournament having suffered a serious slump in her form took on the in form Tamira Paszek, who had just won her grass court title in Eastbourne the week before. The quality play throughout the match was excellent and Caroline got off to a stronger start by sealing a break at 6-5 to take the first set. In the 2nd set the high quality play continued as it was even pegged and play went into a tiebreak, with Tamira's tenacity seeing her come through to level the match. In the 3rd set however, Tamira got the break to go 5-3 up, but not before Caroline broke back to make it 4-5, but on her next service game it was Tammy's aggressive play that saw her edge the Wozza and to take her place in the 2nd round after a terrific 3 set battle. This was an exciting match especially, and as can be the case the 1st round matches can sometimes even prove to be the best, and Tamira Paszek showed throughout just how good a player she can be, and she then went on to reach the quarter finals before falling to Victoria Azarenka. As for Caroline, well unfortunately, despite her quality of play, it saw her with her earliest exit from grand slam in a few years, and afterwards saw her form dimish further, as she clearly was outhit by Paszek's aggressive groundstrokes here. Regardless however overall this was quite a match and well worth catching the highlights if you haven't already seen it.
8. Internazionali BNL d'Italia (Rome Open) final, Maria Sharapova d. Li Na, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(5).
The final of the Rome Open (which let's face it is easier to type than the Italian version above!) was between two big hitters, the former French Open champion Li Na, and Maria Sharapova, so you could expect some real brutal rallies. And we certainly got plenty of those, and despite the up and down standard of the tennis, partly due to the heavy rainfall, it remains a fascinating battle between two French champions (Li last year, and Sharapova this year). With Sharapova's form going up and down at certain moments, Li Na played the better tennis in the first set, breaking to get the 1st set. In the 2nd set however, Sharapova showed her warrior qualities and battled back from 4-1 down, to eventually go on close the set to level. In the 3rd set it was more topsy turvey but it remained an intruiging watch, and the level of play rose as it went on, with a terrific game from Sharapova who faced a couple of match points, which she saved with some gutsy returning. The 3rd set tiebreak finally saw after a massive see-saw, Sharapova triumph winning the breaker 7-5, both women shared a laugh at the net as they couldn't believe the swings and roundabouts they faced in this remarkble match.
7. Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Stuttgart quarter final, Victoria Azarenka d. Mona Barthel, 6-4, 6(3)-7, 7-5.
In 2012, Victoria Azarenka had her fair share of battles with some players, but this one came just about as close any of them ever could against the talented and rising German star, Mona Barthel, who played the World No.1 on her home soil (or clay to be accurate). The quality of play throughout this match was stunning, particularly from Barthel, whom despite some erratic serving, blasted 61 winners past Azarenka as she played at full throttle. But Victoria showed her just why she is the World No.1 as she dug deep against the in form German an eventually made her to way to victory, with the help of a double fault from Mona, who capitulated on serve at 5-6 to try and take the match into a final set tiebreak. The Porsche tennis grand prix WTA event has often proved to be popular with the ladies players on tour and its easy to see why in this match, and the home crowd also provided a terrific atmosphere for this match, with its incredible twists and turns, it ranks as one of the most entertaining of the year, and also how Mona Barthel is definitely a player to watch in the future.
6. 2012 Wimbledon quarter final, Angelique Kerber d. Sabine Lisicki, 6-3, 6(7)-7(9), 7-5.
The final 8 at Wimbledon in the ladies or the mens matches always promises to provide some really exciting tennis and this match undoubtely provided exactly as the top two German players hammered it out to reach the semi finals in epic clash. It was Kerber that made the better start as she broke Lisicki to go a set up in the first, however after going a break down in the 2nd, Lisicki fought her way back into the match and took the 2nd set to a tiebreak, where they traded breaks and it was Lisicki who pushed it to a 3rd set. In the 3rd there were more breaks of serve with Liscki finally getting a chance to serve it out for a place in the semis at 5-3, however she wasn't able to close it out as Kerber managed to break to get back on serve, who eventually broke Lisicki to go 6-5, and went on to seal the deal to reach her first Wimbledon semi final. This was a terrific battle from both players, under the closed roof of centre court, and neither player for the most part giving the other an inch, and it was an impressive fightback also from Lisicki after being a set down. But it just shows how good a player Angelique Kerber has become in 2012, as she has reached a career high No.5 in the world, and in this match she showed just why she is in the top 10.
Right so that's it for Part 1, Part 2 is on the way!
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