Victoria Azarenka

*WTA Rome: Azarenka retired due...

There may be some "feeling" between these two when they play again I suspect.

From Tennis Magazine:



Agnieszka Radwanska says she still not pleased with what occurred in the Doha semifinals in her loss to Victoria Azarenka, when she says the No. 1 was exaggerating injuries.

"Maybe she won the match or the tournament, but she lost a lot of respect because I don't think those kind of behavior is a good image for women's tennis," Radwanska told TENNIS.com and another journalist. "A lot of things happen on court, a lot of different situations but I think is not the level that you're doing that -- this is the highest level. She is No 1, top 10 for many years…"It's not like we're not going to talk anymore, but it's good to play fair play, off the court and on the court.

Azarenka said that she had already put the incident behind her.

"She's the same girl she was for me before," Azarenka said. "It's emotions. I'm the same girl I was before. I don't care about whatever. [Things can get heated in competition], but I don't take it personally."

Victoria Azarenka isn't about to stop her loud noises during tennis matches and says any opponent who might try to blame it for losing are "weak people".

The top-ranked Belarusian makes a high-pitched noise when she hits the ball, drawing increased criticism during her run to the Australian Open title with some fans even mimicking her at Rod Laver Arena.

The issue has attracted the attention of the WTA, which plans to look at ways of reducing the noise levels made by players.

On a 17-match winning streak after claiming the Qatar Open on Sunday, Azarenka says the hooting comes naturally.

She says anyone blaming a loss on her "grunting or whatever, you know, it's up to them. I think they're just weak people".

SMH.

Victoria Azarenka on the Ellen DeGeneres Show

http://t.co/2R8eOSMU

Victoria Azarenka practice: Apia International Sydney 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TZ8akHk5vPQ

World No.3 Victoria Azarenka open to victory
Jan 6

SHE'S flying under the radar, but world No.3 Victoria Azarenka looms as one of Samantha Stosur's biggest Australian Open hurdles.

Long touted as a major winner in waiting, Azarenka has arrived in Australia with a career-high ranking and quietly confident of finally breaking her grand slam duck at Melbourne Park.

"I really want it bad," Azarenka said yesterday.

"Winning a slam is definitely one of the goals this year. I'm working hard to achieve this."

The Belarusian has been knocking louder and louder on the grand slam door, losing to the eventual champion in six majors over the past two years, including to Serena Williams back-to-back at Melbourne Park in 2009-10.

But after collecting three titles and charging to the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2011, Azarenka says she's ready to take the next step.

The 22-year-old is drawing inspiration from Stosur, Petra Kvitova and Li Na, who all joined the grand slam winners' club last year.

"Oh, I'm ready," Azarenka said. "It's the little things - just a little bit more belief.

"I need to be more demanding in those big matches and also sometimes a little bit of luck is good.

"But I've had really great experiences. I'm really lucky and happy that I went through those tough moments so that next time I face it, I can learn from those past experiences."

Stosur, for one, will be keen to steer clear of Azarenka in Melbourne.

The two could also clash at next week's Sydney International and no player has heaped more misery more often on Stosur than Azarenka.

In five career meetings, all on hardcourts, Australia's US Open champion has never taken a set off Azarenka; not even come close.

In their most recent meeting, at the WTA Championships last October, Azarenka romped home 6-2 6-2. Their two previous clashes ended in 6-2 6-3 and 6-1 6-0 victories for Azarenka in Stanford in 2010 and Miami in 2009.

Readily admitting to not wanting to show her aces, Azarenka on Thursday tried to credit Stosur for her dominant record over Australia's big Open hope.

"She brings the best out of me and I just really play well against her," Azarenka said.

"So I have to give her credit; she really lifts my game.

"Obviously she will have a lot of motivation to play (in Australia this summer) and she was brilliant at the end of last year."

Hugely popular with fans, the Monaco-based Azarenka this week celebrated having 50,000 followers on Twitter.

"I wouldn't trade my fans for anything," she said. "But I would want to make them proud and double those numbers by winning a grand slam."
http://bit.ly/zCSnmc

Aza on Twitter: "Hey guys! Unfortunately had to retire in stuttgart. Got a bit injured before fed cup matches and then its gone worse. Tried to be ready for match but with playing it didn't get any better and kept hurting me. Its very sad to retire specially when I was winning and I love this place and tournament. Its one of the best on the tour. But it was a smart decision,because all clay season is ahead. So now I'm getting reatment and hopefully will be back in madrid! Thanks for all ur nice support and messages! Love u"

Azarenka after her retirement against Goerges: "I picked up shoulder injury during Fed Cup, didn't play last day there. Been trying to rehab last few days tried my best to play but unfortunately it just keeps getting worse. Don't want to make it worse, couldn't finish the match, will do therapy in Monaco."

Victoria Azarenka's hot streak continued as she won her second straight WTA title at the first tournament of the European clay court season, the Andalucía Tennis Experience. By virtue of winning the title she is also the second Belarusian ever to reach the Top 5, joining Natasha Zvereva.

Azarenka, who won the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami last week, came to Marbella a few days later and picked up right where she left off, beginning with a 62 63 first round win over Arantxa Parra Santonja on Wednesday and winning one match a day Thursday, Friday and Saturday en route to Sunday's final.

On the other half of the draw, Irina-Camelia Begu was breaking new ground. Having fallen first round in her only two previous WTA main draws and as a qualifier here in her third, the Romanian reached the quarters without losing a set then pulled off upsets over No.6 seed Klara Zakopalova and No.2 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova (in a three-hour-plus marathon) to make the final.

The run would come to an end however, as Azarenka was just too powerful in the final and won comfortably, 63 62. They had several long games - including a five deuce game midway through the opening set - but with the exception of losing serve in the first game of the second set, Azarenka was always ahead.

Nobody has lost fewer games en route to a WTA title so far this year, Azarenka losing only 19 (the previous-lowest was Caroline Wozniacki's 25 in Dubai).

"It was unusual to go from Miami on hardcourts to here on clay and do so well. I'm more than pleased with the experience," Azarenka said. "It was important just to keep my mind fresh and do the same things I did in Miami. I used to practice here when I was 14, so coming here brings me back - I love it here."

Azarenka's 11-match win streak moves her from No.6 to No.5, joining Zvereva on the short list of Belarusian Top 5 players (Zvereva peaked at No.5).

"She has a very good game, especially for clay," Azarenka said of Begu. "She has a big serve too. If she keeps going like this she can bring some big results."