Good afternoon and welcome to LIVE coverage of the second day of the WTA Championships from Istanbul. The first match of the day sees Samantha Stosur face Victoria Azarenka.

GAME, SET AND MATCH AZARENKA! Stosur comes to the net to win a point for the first time in the match before saving the first match point with a blistering forehand winner from the back of the court. Azarenka with another forehand winner, but Stosur stays alive with a similar forehand winner. A smash gives her advantage for a first break point, but she is wide with another groundstroke before a forehand flies wide to hand Azarenko her third match point. She does it with the fourth match point.

Stosur manages to prolong the agony by hoiding serve, but she is heading for defeat. Has never really got going in this match. Azarenka will serve for the match.

Azarenka moving freely and winning points at will on the forehand and backhand sides. Really probing play by her. Another love game for Azarenka as Stosur slams a forehand into the net from deep. Azarenka one game from the victory.

DOUBLE BREAK TO AZARENKA! Stosur forced to survive another break point as Azarenka knocks the ball long from Stosur's serve. Azarenka brings up the second break with a lovely little drop shot winner at the net. A double fault from Stosur is enough to seal the deal. Azarenka two breaks and three games ahead. Surely all over.

Azarenka utterly dominant on serve. Dropped only one point in that game courtesy of a double fault while leading 40-0. Stosur clearly frustrated as she continues to bleed errors from deep in trying to construct the point.

Stosur manages to hold serve in the third game of the second set, but it is difficult to see where the comeback is going to come from. The Aussie is playing in her second game in two days after beating Maria Sharapova yesterday. It seems to be taking its toll on her.

Azarenka with a third straight love game on serve to extend her lead in this set and match. A break up and two games ahead. all looking good for the lady from Belarus, who is moving well and bludgeoning away the winners.

BREAK TO AZARENKA! Things going from bad to worse for Stosur, who has now thrown in 12 unforced errors in losing her service game at the outset of the second set. A double fault is enough to hand the initiative to Azarenka, who is not needing to do too much to dominate.

SET AZARENKA! No hanging about from Azarenka. Well in control as a second straight love game on serve is good enough for her to finish off the set in around 30 minutes. Big problems for Stosur in this match.

Much better service game from Stosur helps her to stop the rot and double her score, but unless there is a marked change in the mood of Azarenka, it should be first set to the woman from Belarus in a few moments time.

Stosur getting so frustrated. Shouting and trying to encourage herself, but it is not helping her plight as Azarenka continues to dominate on serve and in the rallies. A thumping forehand up the line gives her a 5-1 lead. One more game will see her pocket the opening set.

DOUBLE BREAK TO AZARENKA! Stosur in all sorts of bother in this match. Stosur came up with a big serve to level at 40-40, but Azarenka is firmly in control of this encounter as Stosur finds the pace of her opponent's shots too much. She is now 4-1 down and two breaks down. Azarenka heading for this first set.

Azarenka holds serve to cement the break. Stosur held serve to love in the opening game, but she is finding the pace and movement of her younger opponent difficult to deal with. Stosur to serve 3-1 down and a break behind.

BREAK TO AZARENKA! Stosur is broken for the first time in this match. She recovers from trailing 40-0, but Azarenka's groundstrokes are proving too hot to handle as another error from the Aussie at the back of the court hands the advantage to her opponent.

Azarenka gets the chance to show her style. Came into the arena like a boxer with a hood up, but she is punching well and moving well on the backhand and forehand side. Stosur slashes a backhand return wide and we are level at 1-1.

Stosur with a very confident start on serve. Quickly to 40-0 before a clubbing two-handed backhand across court seals the love game seconds later. Stosur leads 1-0.

Stosur to serve in the opening game of the match.

Azarenka has a 4-0 lead over Stosur in the head-to-heads. The woman from Belarus defeated Azarenka 6-2 6-3 on a hard court in their last meeting last year.

Stosur enjoyed a 6-1 7-5 victory over Maria Sharapova yesterday while Azarenka plays her first match of the tournament in the white group half of the draw.