Ekaterina Makarova doesn’t just have one US Open title on her mind – she’s got two.
After blitzing Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-2 in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, she advanced to her first Grand Slam semifinal and kept alive her quest for two titles. She and Elena Vesnina are also in the semifinals of the women’s doubles tournament.
Makarova, the No. 17 seed, had made four quarterfinals at Grand Slams in her career — all since 2012 — but had gone 0-for-4.
“I’m happy that I’m came through, finally through the quarters and I’m in semis now,” Makarova said. “Today was a great, tough match.”
Makarova and Vesnina beat Venus and Serena Williams, 7-6 (5), 6-4 Tuesday in the doubles quarterfinals, and Makarova could see Serena again in the semifinals. Williams plays Flavia Pennetta in a Wednesday night quarterfinal.
“Well, she’s a great and tough player,” Makarova said. “But once I beat her already, so I have a great memory. I have a great feeling of that match.”
Makarova has lost three of four career matches to Serena Williams, while she has gone 1-1 agaisnt Pennetta.
Makarova won eight of her nine service games Wednesday, while also breaking Azarenka four times. Azarenka didn’t seem like her usual dominant self. After the match, a PR representative for Azarenka said she had been suffering from food poisoning, but didn’t get any more specific than that, nor did Azarenka.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she said. “I feel like I tried my best with whatever I had.
“I’m not going to make any excuses today. I did the best I could today, but I want to give full credit to my opponent. She deserved to win. She played much better than me today. That’s it.”
Azarenka, a former world No. 1 and the runner-up to Serena Williams in the previous two US Opens, has seen her ranking drop to 16th due to injuries and inconsistent performances.
“Can I play better? Absolutely,” Azarenka said. “Do I doubt that I can play on a higher level? No chance. Nobody will tell me what I can or I cannot do.”
Makarova will play in the doubles semifinals Thursday followed by the women’s semifinals on Friday.
“To win the Grand Slam it’s … always the dream,” she said. “From the kid when I was going to the school and then came back home and watching some matches. … You don’t believe that you can be here, and finally you’re here and going so far.”