Skip to Content. Skip to Navigation.
Tennis

News

Azarenka's best still to come

01/28/2012 08:28:37 PM

Australian Open champion and new World No.1 Victoria Azarenka believes her recent achievements are just the start of things to come.

Azarenka picked up her maiden Grand Slam title with a stunning 6-3 6-0 thrashing of Russian Maria Sharapova on Saturday night and in the process also became the top ranked player in women's tennis.

It might seem like everything has come at once for Azarenka, but the confident 22-year-old feels her best tennis is ahead of her.

"I have been dreaming and working so hard to win a Grand Slam and being No.1 is a pretty good bonus," Azarenka said after her victory.

"But I just want to keep improving."

"I feel like there is no limit (to what I can achieve) really."

Azarekna said she was 'super nervous' heading into the decider against Sharapova and that she didn't settle down until she had lost the opening two games of the match.

Sharapova won 11 of the first 15 points to shoot out to a 2-0 lead, but Azarekna didn't let that bother her as she rattled off 12 of the next 13 games to claim the match.

"The first two games was a little bit of a disaster, but then I kind of got the momentum going," Azarenka said.

"I think I really handled well the (nerves) situation after that little slack part in the beginning."

"It kind of caught me a little bit off guard, because I tried to be aggressive myself and it didn't really work."

"But I'm glad I could stay humble, keep fighting and change the momentum."

And while Azarenka got to hoist the trophy aloft shortly after her win, she said the reality of the victory had yet to settle in.

"I kind of have different emotions right now," she said.

"Right after the win I couldn't understand what was happening and I could not believe the tournament was over because it's been so long."

"It still hasn't hit me that it's over and I won this, but I will keep enjoying it."

Azarenka's triumph in Melbourne was a first for a player from Belarus, with compatriot Natasha Zvereva having come the closest to a Grand Slam title in the past when she lost 6-0 6-0 to German Steffi Graf in the final of the French Open in 1988.

And now that she has gone that step further, Azarenka is hopeful that her win will inspire a new generation of players from her country.

"Tennis is pretty big already in Belarus and we have so many great facilities," she said.

"I hope we get more players, because the junior level is a little bit of a struggle right now."

"So I hope I can provide a lot of inspiration for the kids."

 

You Might Also Like

Venus into quarters
Venus into quarters
Sixth seed Venus Williams has moved a step closer to a semi-final showdown with sister ...
 
 
 
 

Most Read Articles

Cold tyres almost cost Webber dearly
Cold tyres almost cost Webber dearly
Motorsport
05/27/2012 10:46:36 PM
Monaco Grand Prix winner Mark Webber described the end of Sunday's race as 'very strange' ...
 
 
Inu stars as Dogs deny Roosters
League
05/28/2012 10:54:23 AM
 
Freo's failure comes down to talent
AFL
05/27/2012 11:02:27 PM
 
Gritty Tigers do Sheens proud
League
05/27/2012 10:01:48 PM
 
Knights sign Broncos discard
League
05/28/2012 08:27:12 AM
 
Bombers look to set up season
AFL
05/28/2012 01:41:21 AM
 
Leilua charged and stood down
League
05/28/2012 04:01:25 AM
 
Sea Eagles to accept Matai's ban
League
05/28/2012 05:41:32 AM
 
 
 

Your Say

Galleries

The Weekend That Was
28/05/2012 1:40:06 PM
Take a look back at all the weekend sport from around the world. We have it all covered from AFL to Baseball to Barefoot Running and even some Sailing. So take some time off and look back at what you might have missed.
2012 Australian Open: Final
30/01/2012 1:05:03 PM
Victoria Azarenka claimed her first ever Grand Slam title while Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal produced one of the most remarkable tennis matches of all time.