Azarenka vs Sharapova Indian Wells 2012 Finals Match Highlights

The Indian Wells 2012 women's singles finals between world #1 Victoria Azarenka and #2 Maria Sharapova is available for viewing online here. Azarenka downed Sharapova in straight sets to win her fourth tournament of the year. | Finals Preview: Both players will be playing for the first time since Azarenka defeated Sharapova in the Australian Open championship match in January to claim her first Grand Slam title. That win also propelled Azarenka to the top ranking in the WTA tour and she has now amassed a perfect record of 22-0 for the year. This is the best start for a women's singles tennis season since Martina Hingis won more almost 40 matches to start her 1997 campaign.

Azarenka reached her fourth final of the season and first at the BNP Paribas Open with a straight forward 64 63 over Angelique Kerber of Germany. She has lost only one set on her way to the final. Sharapova advanced to the championship match when Ana Ivanovic retired in the second set with a hip injury. Azarenka holds a 4-3 advantage over the top Russian player in their career head-to-head and she has won their last three encounters in straight sets. She will be favored to win her first Indian Wells tennis tournament but no one is counting out the three-time Grand Slam champion who was also an Indian Wells champion in 2006.

Azarenka praised her German opponent and was quoted with the following statement after their semifinal. "I really was impressed by the way Angelique was playing... I think she showed some excellent tennis. It was the first time we played on the pro tour, so it was a little bit new for me. I think she's a great player, and she really pushed me to raise my level and really dig to win that match." The top ranked Belarussian will be aiming for her fourth title of the year after winning in Sydney, Melbourne, and Doha. She has reached six consecutive finals for the first time in her career, including finals appearances in her last two tournaments for 2011.

This will only be the third time since 2005 that the top two players in women's tennis will be facing off in the final of the Indian Wells tennis tournament. Sharapova will be going for her 25th WTA title, and her first since Cincinnati in August 2011. She won the opening set against Ivanovic 6-4 and was serving at 0-1 down in the second when the 2008 champion and former world #1 retired from the match. The winner of the Indian Wells 2012 tennis tournament will earn $1,000,000 - the biggest paycheck outside of the Grand Slams.

Watch the matches below to get an idea on how potentially explosive and loud this Indian Wells 2012 final match will be between Azarenka and Sharapova. Don't forget to watch the BNP Paribas Open women singles finals live online streaming here.

Azarenka vs Sharapova Miami 2011 Highlights:



Victoria Azarenka vs Maria Sharapova at the 2010 Stanford Finals Highlights: