Azarenka Wins Australian Open

Photo Credit: sfexaminer.com

There's a new number one in women's tennis. Victoria Azarenka, the Belle from Belarus, defeated Maria Sharapova in straight sets today 6-3, 6-0 to win her first Grand Slam title. Azarenka won 12 of the final 13 games after falling behind 2-0 in the first set and has now won 12 straight matches to start the year. Azarenka becomes the first Belarusian, male or female, to win a Grand Slam singles title. Here's a look at her run through the tournament:

1st - Heather Watson (Great Britain) - 6-1, 6-0
2nd - Casey Dellacqua (Australia) - 6-1, 6-0
3rd - Mona Barthel (Germany) - 6-2, 6-4
4th - Iveta Benesova (Czech Rep.) - 6-2, 6-2
QF - (8) Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) - 6-7, 6-0, 6-2
SF - (11) Kim Clijsters (Belgium) - 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
F - (4) Maria Sharapova (Russia) - 6-3, 6-0

With Azarenka's victory, the last 8 Grand Slam singles titles have been won by 7 different women with only Kim Clijsters winning more than once. Francesca Schiavone, Serena Williams, Li Na, Petra Kvitová and Sam Stosur have also won at least one Grand Slam over the past two years.