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NEW YORK CITY. — World number one Serena Williams enters the US Open tennis tournament as a heavy favourite to defend her title, but second-ranked Victoria Azarenka leads a host of rivals looking to dethrone her.Williams is seeking her 17th Grand Slam singles crown and fifth US Open title, which would move her one shy of Chris Evert’s Open-era record for most titles at the year’s final major event on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts.

“I’m definitely prepared. I’m definitely ready for New York,” Williams said.
“I definitely had more matches than I could want, but I’m definitely prepared for the US Open.”

The 31-year-old American has been on an amazing run over the past 14 months, going 77-4 and capturing last year’s Wimbledon, London Olympic and US Open titles, plus this year’s French Open crown.

But two of those defeats came at the hands of Azarenka, in last February’s Doha final and last Sunday at the WTA final in Cincinnati by 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8/6).

It was only the third victory for the 24-year-old from Belarus over Williams but with the two having won seven of the past nine Grand Slam titles, it sets the stage for a potential rematch of last year’s US Open final.

“It would be totally different circumstances,” said Williams, who also beat Azarenka in this year’s Rome final. “It’s just a new event. You just got to go in there with a fresh mind.”

And without a win streak such as she had the past few Grand Slam events.
“It makes me more relaxed and almost happy that I lost because now I don’t have to worry about every day someone asking me about some silly winning streak,” Williams said. “So maybe it was for the best.”

Williams also finds herself in a cordial rivalry, appreciating Azarenka off the court as a friend and on the court as an adversary.  “She’s so competitive on the court, like an animal, and I’m the same exact way, like my dad described me as a pitbull,” Williams said. — AFP.