It wasn’t easy. A thigh injury and erratic strokes were too much to overcome, and the top-ranked Williams was upset 6-3, 6-1 Saturday by 19-year-old Victoria Azarenka in the final of the Sony Ericsson Open.
The loss ended Williams’ reign on Key Biscayne. She was bidding for a record sixth women’s title and her third in a row. Instead, she fell to 38-2 in the tournament since 2001, with the only other loss to her sister Venus.
The result heralded the emergence of Azarenka, a Belarussian who trains in Scottsdale, Ariz., and will crack the top 10 next week for the first time.
Williams played with her left thigh taped and struggled to move to her left. She served poorly and had trouble putting Azarenka’s 90 mph serves into play.
Williams led 3-2 before Azarenka won five consecutive games to take control. The teenager also won the final five games and closed out the biggest win of her career when Williams sailed a backhand long. Azarenka tossed away her racket, covered her face and hopped to the net.
For Azarenka, it was a big improvement on their match in the fourth round at the Australian Open in January, when she became sick to her stomach beforehand and lost.
The only sign of nerves this time came in the form of four early double-faults. Azarenka was so poised serving in the final game that when she challenged a call and was advised the replay system had malfunctioned, she smiled and won the next point.
Azarenka was the steadier player in rallies, often punctuating her shots with a two-tone shriek worthy of Maria Sharapova. A subdued Williams remained impassive throughout, even as the match slipped away, in contrast with Roger Federer’s racket-breaking outburst that stunned the entire stadium Friday.
Williams dropped serve five times and committed unforced errors on 34 of the 64 points she lost. Despite reaching the final, she was erratic throughout the tournament: She lost five games in a row a staggering five times.
Despite the defeat, she’ll retain the No. 1 ranking for a 10th consecutive week next week, while Azarenka will climb to No. 8.
Azarenka, who won her first tour title three months ago at Brisbane, improved to 23-2 this year. She grew up in Minsk and befriended NHL goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, who invited her to the United States to practice. She moved to Scottsdale in 2005.
Azarenka won $700,000, more than the men’s first prize of $605,500. The two tours offer the same total prize money but distribute it differently. Williams received $350,000.
Also on NBCSports.com
College hoops: UConn looks like team of destiny
College hoops: Edge? MSU-UConn | UNC-Villanova
NFL: Getting rid of prima donnas
NBA: So many questions, so little time before playoffs
Baseball: Best buys among free agents
