MELBOURNE // Two-time champion Victoria Azarenka remained in ominous form Monday as she surged into an Australian Open quarter-final against Angelique Kerber, as Britain ended a 33-year wait to make the last eight.
Former world No 1 Azarenka proved too strong for Czech Barbora Strycova on Rod Laver Arena, storming through 6-2, 6-4 to set up a last-eight clash with Kerber, who beat fellow German Annika Beck 6-4, 6-0.
Azarenka, the 14th seed who won at Melbourne Park in 2012 and 2013, has a 6-0 record over Kerber, including in the Brisbane International final this month, making her a hot favourite to keep her title run going.
“I’m looking forward to it. She’s such a fighter and such a nice person,” said the Belarusian, looking ahead to the test on Wednesday. “I’ll just give it my best and I’m sure she’ll do the same.”
Seventh seed Kerber powered past Beck to reach the quarter-finals for the first time and knows she has a formidable task ahead against a player who has won each of their encounters dating back to 2012.
“I had tough matches against her in the past. I never won against her right now, but that will be a challenge,” she said.
“It’s a new one, it starts from zero, and I know what’s coming from her. I will try to be aggressive and try to go and win the match.”
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World No 1 Serena Williams and fifth-seeded rival Maria Sharapova play each other in a headline last-eight clash on Tuesday, while fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska faces 10th seed Carla Suarez.
Johanna Konta joined them to reach her first grand slam quarter-final and become the first Britain’s first woman to reach the Australian Open last eight Jo Durie in 1983.
Konta prevailed in a three-hour, four-minute slugfest 4-6, 6-4, 8-6 against Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova, a semi-finalist last year.
“Goodness gracious,” said Konta, who will next face either American Madison Keys or Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai. “Mentally, emotionally and physically I left it all out there on the court.”
The only other British women to get as far were Virginia Wade, who won in 1972, and Sue Barker who made the semis twice.
Azarenka, 27, has been in the zone at Melbourne Park, dropping just 11 games in four matches as she zeroes in on a return to the top after battling injuries for the past two years.
She went into the Strycova clash with a clear advantage, whipping her on all four of their previous meetings, including at the last two Australian Opens.
But it was not straightforward against the Czech, who stunned third seed Garbine Muguruza in the last round to secure her first fourth-round appearance in Melbourne since her debut in 2004.
“She is such a tough opponent. I’m just happy I went through. I played smart, aggressive and really took my opportunities,” Azarenka said.
“Barbora really pushed me and I’m happy I could stay focused and composed.”
Melbourne Park has been a happy hunting ground for Azarenka, who has now made the quarters or better five times in her last seven attempts.
Kerber, who had a stellar 2015 but underachieved at the majors, eased past Beck who fell apart in the second set after pressing her compatriot hard in the first.
“I think my serve was not the best today,” said Kerber, 28. “I mean, I can serve for sure better and faster. It was a tough match, it was also tough mentally.”
Like Azarenka, Kerber is a form player, winning four titles last season – second only to Williams, who claimed five – although she failed to translate that to the grand slams.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
RESULTS
Men
1 Marius Kipserem (KEN) 2:04:04
2 Abraham Kiptum (KEN) 2:04:16
3 Dejene Debela Gonfra (ETH) 2:07:06
4 Thomas Rono (KEN) 2:07:12
5 Stanley Biwott (KEN) 2:09:18
Women
1 Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 2:20:16
2 Eunice Chumba (BRN) 2:20:54
3 Gelete Burka (ETH) 2:24:07
4 Chaltu Tafa (ETH) 2:25:09
5 Caroline Kilel (KEN) 2:29:14
