MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Victoria Azarenka dismantled fifteenth seed Elina Svitolina 6-0 6-2 on Friday to storm into the Australian Open fourth round displaying glimpses of the type that earned her back-to-back Melbourne Park titles, however the 32-year-old stated she won’t get carried away.
Azarenka was hampered by a persistent foot damage in 2014 then had a year-long maternity break in 2016-17. A cut up together with her companion and a custody battle over her son that was not settled till 2018 put her profession on the again burner.
The Belarusian received her first title in 4 years at the 2020 Western & Southern Open in New York and misplaced to Paula Badosa in the Indian Wells ultimate in three units, a match that was broadly thought to be one in all the greatest on the WTA Tour final yr.
After one other glowing show that has raised hopes amongst supporters of a 3rd Grand Slam crown, Azarenka stated she wished to keep in the second.
“When you look in the previous, which I do not like to do, your reminiscence is a bit distorted. Maybe you need to keep in mind one thing, you need to neglect the different,” the former primary, who got here together with her son Leo to the information convention, stated.
“I attempt to take it day-to-day. That mentality, to keep in the current, proceed to do what I can in the second, that is been serving to me extra reasonably than evaluating.
“That’s actually what I’m making an attempt to say… that ladder I would like to climb step-by-step. I feel the hazard is to attempt to skip just a few steps. That’s one thing I’m really studying not to do. That’s been useful.”
The 2012 and 2013 champion, who has dropped solely 9 video games throughout three matches this yr, was delighted together with her effort towards Svitolina.
“The quantity of aggression I might carry level after level, making use of a number of strain, the consistency. The breakpoints I confronted, I performed actually robust,” Azarenka, who performs French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova subsequent, stated.
“Taking management of my finish of the court docket, that is what I’m extra joyful about.”
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
by 
