Serena Williams Beats Victoria Azarenka, Advances to 3rd Round at Indian Wells

Serena Williams earned a 7-5, 6-3 win over Victoria Azarenka in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, on Friday.

The matchup between two former No. 1 players featured drama and intensity more reminiscent of a major final than a second-round tournament match given its eventful nature.

Among other facts, Williams overcame break point four times with the first set tied at five. She eventually held serve and broke Azarenka to win 7-5.

Furthermore, the 23-time major winner overcame a rough first-set stretch. After winning the first game, Williams had double break point but could not put away Azarenka, who then won break point in the third game to take a 2-1 advantage. The returner proceeded to win the next three games in a frenetic, edge-of-your-seat thriller.

What stood out more than anything was the number of jaw-dropping shots that each player pulled off during the evening. Granted, that's not a surprise given both players' resumes, but the execution was still something to behold.

Williams' return game was on point, and she closed a couple of fierce rallies with excellent shots:

But this backhand from Azarenka froze Williams:

And Azarenka's volley game was strong:

But Azarenka had no chance to stop Williams on the set winner here:

Former world No. 1 and tennis broadcaster Chris Evert summed it up well with few words:

Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times called the first set tennis' best of the year and also noted how impressive that feat was given the obstacles both players faced at Indian Wells:

Jose Morgado of SPORT TV Portugal took it one step further:

The second set wasn't as eventful, but granted, it had massive shoes to fill. Still, Williams and Azarenka continued their display with wicked shots, to the point where it felt like the only players who could beat them on this night were on the court.

Azarenka showed off the backhand again:

But Williams unleashed an unfair forehand:

Eventually, Williams got up a break and finished off Azarenka in two hours and seven minutes. The immediate reaction from the players and fans showcased just how emotional and fierce this second-round match was:

Williams, who is ranked No. 10 in the draw, will face No. 20 Garbine Muguruza on Sunday in the third round. Williams has won three of their five matches.