Maria Sharapova

The quarter-finals in Stuttgart promised a lot and completely lived up to their billing with a series of thrilling encounters.  Victoria Azarenka held off a barrage of winners from Mona Barthel to record a 6-4 6-7 7-5 victory in 2 hours and 48 minutes.  Barthel hit a staggering 64 winners but still ended up on the losing side after a poor final game in which she double faulted on match point.  Barthel has once again shown that she is a force to be reckoned with as she showed her fighting spirit to rescue numerous deficits from Azarenka, who did remarkably well to finally see off the young German.  Barthel still has many areas of her game to work on; hopefully her mental game will continue to improve with more experience on the tour.  Let’s not forget that this Barthel’s first year of playing WTA tour events week in, week out.  Azarenka will play Agnieszka Radwanska once more after she came back from a set down to defeat Li Na, 3-6 6-2 6-3.