Linz (Austria): Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka won her sixth WTA title of the season Sunday by beating Julia Goerges 6-3, 6-4 at the Generali Ladies.
Azarenka has won 13 straight matches without dropping a set since losing the U.S. Open final last month. She pulled out before her quarterfinal at Tokyo two weeks ago due to dizziness, then won in Beijing last week to begin her streak.
``I don`t really count my victories,`` said Azarenka, who has 14 career titles. ``I just try to go out there and enjoy every match.``
Azarenka broke the fifth-seeded Goerges in the opening game and again at 5-3 to take the first set. That still made the German the first opponent to win more than two games in one set against the Belarusian at this tournament.
``I felt very good, very energized each day of this week,`` Azarenka said.
Azarenka`s next tournament is the season-ending WTA Championships in Istanbul.
Azarenka won 12 consecutive points early in the second set to help build a 5-0 lead. She then lost four straight games before closing out the final on her fifth match point.
``I lost my concentration,`` Azarenka said. ``Julia came back so strong and I made some unnecessary mistakes. I am glad I came out on top. It was quite difficult.``
Goerges earned and converted her first break point when Azarenka was serving for the match at 5-1. She broke Azarenka again to make it 5-4 but then dropped her own serve for the fifth time in the match.
``It was a good match, very intense,`` the 19th-ranked German said. ``I had a super comeback at the end, but she was just too consistent and deserved to win.``
Goerges, who has two career titles, is 0-2 in WTA finals this season after also losing in Dubai in February.
``But I am proud of this week, and it`s not over yet,`` said Goerges, who was scheduled to play the doubles final with Czech partner Barbora Zahlavova Strycova later Sunday.
``It`s a good feeling to know that I was able to keep up with the best player in the world and got a chance to turn around the match. That makes me positive.``
Agencies
First Published: Tuesday, October 16, 2012, 09:00