INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) – Victoria Azarenka defeated error-prone Serena Williams 6-4, 6-4 to win the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday, returning Azarenka to the world’s top 10 for the first time since August 2014.
Clearly the crowd favorite, Williams gave fans little to cheer about on a 91-degree (32 C) day in the California desert while making 33 unforced errors. After getting broken to trail 3-0 in the second set, Williams returned to her seat and smashed her racket.
Trailing 5-1, Williams won three straight games and held two break points on Azarenka’s serve in the last game. But Williams ended the match on three straight errors.
It was Azarenka’s first victory over the top-ranked Williams since the Cincinnati final in August 2013. She will rise to No. 8 in the WTA Tour rankings Monday.
Williams was back at Indian Wells after ending her 14-year boycott last year.