Sport
WTA Championships: Serena Williams defeats Victoria Azarenka – advances to semis
“I just was able to play better than I did in my first couple of rounds,” Williams said. “That was what I was going to have to do going up against the No. 1 player in the world.”
Li Na beat Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-4, 6-3 in another Red Group to retain a slim chance of advancing. Sara Errani defeated Samantha Stosur 6-3, 2-6, 6-0 in the White Group.
Stosur replaced defending champion Petra Kvitova, who withdrew because of illness.
Li’s first win in two round-robin matches means the Chinese player can still reach the semifinals, depending on other results in her group.
The fifth-ranked Kerber, making her first appearance in the season finale, bowed out after losing all three of her matches. She played more than three hours on Wednesday night in a three-set loss to Azarenka.
The top two players from each group advance to the semifinals.
Williams and Maria Sharapova, who was idle Thursday, have already qualified for the semifinals.
