Victoria Azarenka defeated Li Na to win the 2013 Australian Open, clinching her second ever Grand Slam Championship on Saturday. Azarenka lost the first set but battled back to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 over Na for the title.
Na injured her left ankle during the match but played through it.
In earning the victory, Azarenka keeps the top ranking in the world, which Serena Williams would have taken from her if Azarenka had lost. An injured Williams was upset by 19-year-old American Sloane Stephens in the quarterfinals. Stephens lost to Azarenka in the semifinals 6-1, 6-4 earlier in the week.
Azarenka's win was the first Grand Slam match victory of her career over Na, as the first Asian player to make a Grand Slam Final earned that right for beating the Belarusian in the 2011 Australian Open. Na also topped Azarenka in the 2011 French Open. Azarenka has won each of the last five matches against Na now.
Azarenka won the Aussie tournament last season over Maria Sharapova. The previous year, Na made the finals but lost to Kim Clijsters.
Azarenka's only other Grand Slam Final appearance was in the 2012 U.S. Open, as Williams topped her in three sets for the last leg of the 2012 Grand Slam.
The men's final will be the last match of the tournament at 7:30 am EST on Monday, Jan. 28 between Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic. This is the full schedule of the 2013 Australian Open.
The men's doubles final will be after the women's singles final. The mixed doubles final will be at 4:00 am EST on Monday, Jan. 28.
You can watch video highlights of past 2013 Austrailan Open matches here.
The Live Stream of the 2013 Australian Open is right here (Service Provider Required).
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