Vera Zvonareva, Victoria Azarenka and Marion Bartoli pulled out of the Medibank International Sydney because of injury and illness.

Russian world No.7 Zvonareva withdrew from her first-round match against Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues after suffering a bout of gastroenteritis.

Belorussian world No.14 Azarenka, who won her maiden WTA title last week in Brisbane, pulled out because of a mystery virus.

Bartoli, the world No.17 from France and the last week's finalist at the Brisbane International, quit her match against British qualifier Melanie South after just two games because of a calf injury. (source: Reuters, photos: Getty Images via Sony Ericsson WTA Tour)

Second seed Victoria Azarenka defeated Marion Bartoli 6-3 6-1 in the final of the Brisbane International to claim her first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles title.

Prior to the final in Brisbane, the 19-year-old Belorussian reached four WTA finals, but always ended up as runner-up: in Estoril and Tashkent in 2007 and Gold Coast and Prague in 2008.

However, this time it was different. Azarenka dominated the third-seeded Frenchwoman, breaking serve six times and winning in 71 minutes.

Azarenka didn’t drop a set on her way to the Brisbane International title, but that doesn’t mean she was unchallenged. The world No.15 was pushed to the limits by Jarmila Gajdosova in the second round (76(4) 75) and by Lucie Safarova (76(5) 64) in the quarterfinals. (source: Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, photo via Brisbane International)

Second seed Victoria Azarenka beat Italian Sara Errani in the Brisbane semifinals, while Marion Bartoli advanced when Amelie Mauresmo retired hurt during the first set of their semifinal.

"I'm obviously very happy – I just want to do better than the last time and win my first title," said the last year’s finalist Azarenka who went past Errani 6-3 6-1 in just over an hour. "I will fight for every point. It's the last match so you have to give everything you have and stay positive no matter what."

In the other semifinal, Mauresmo, who beat top seed Ana Ivanovic in the Brisbane quarters, retired trailing 0-4 to fellow Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli. During the match, Mauresmo received medical treatment to her left thigh and lower back.

"It's frustrating and not how you want to end the tournament but I guess it's more sensible to make sure I'm 100% for Melbourne," said Mauresmo whose participation in next week’s Medibank International in Sydney has become uncertain.

Azarenka and Bartoli have played just once so far, in the second round of the 2007 Australian Open, and the Belorussian won in straight sets. (source: Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, photos by Elsa/Getty Images via Sony Ericsson WTA Tour)

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