Australian Open 2023: All the quarter-finals news from the women’s draw

Victoria Azarenka has opened up on the darkest chapter in her tennis career, saying she was the victim of a smear campaign in Australia 10 years ago.

Jessica Pegula. Picture: William West/AFP

Two-time Open champion Victoria Azarenka has injected herself into the Novak Djokovic injury debate, saying she was a victim of a similar smear campaign in Australia 10 years ago.

After upsetting No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula in the quarter-finals on Tuesday night, Azarenka became rattled when questioned about her own infamous injury controversy during a semi-final win over American Sloane Stephens in 2013.

The Belarusian was questioned for taking a dubious medical time-out in the final moments of the tense two-set win, claiming a rib injury flared which required her to rush from the court after blowing five match points.

Azarenka, who went on to win the title, was widely criticised afterwards and on Monday night she dropped the f-bomb when comparing the stress she went through then and comparing it to what Djokovic is going through with questions raised about his hamstring injury.

“It was one of the worst things that I’ve ever gone through in my professional career, the way I was treated after that moment, the way I had to explain myself until 10:30pm at night because people didn’t want to believe me,” Azarenka said.

Victoria Azarenka seen struggling during her 2013 match with Sloane Stephens. Picture: AAP Images

“I actually can resonate with what Novak said the other day. There is sometimes, like, I don’t know, incredible desire for a villain and a hero story that has to be written. But we’re not villains, we’re not heroes, we are regular human beings that go through so many, many thing

“Assumptions and judgments, all those comments, are just sh** because nobody’s there to see the full story. It didn’t matter how many times I said my story, it did not cut through.

“Actually it’s funny that you’re saying that because I was thinking about it. It took me 10 f***ing years to get over it. I finally am over that.”

She then added: “I’m sorry for cussing by the way. I hope I don’t get fined.”

Azarenka, 33, said she was now better equipped to deal with people questioning her character,

“I’ve been called that I’m cheating, that I’m faking, that I was trying to throw people off their game,” she said. “It’s everything that is so wrong about my character if somebody actually knows me.

Azarenka was then helped from the court. Picture: AAP Images

“At some point I’ve heard that, like, she has this thing that is bad or this thing is bad, whatever. At some point you’re like, Really? Am I? Those doubts start to creep in.

“Now I just don’t care. Like, I am more and more confident in what I know about myself, and I’m at peace with that. Those comments, judgments, they’re there. I notice them. But I don’t care.”

Azarenka is aiming to win her third Australian Open crown and faces reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in Thursday’s semi-finals.

Azarenka needed assistance during the match. Picture: AAP Images

GRAND SLAM MUM: AZARENKA TWO WINS FROM HISTORY

Becoming just the fourth mother to win a grand slam is what awaits Victoria Azarenka after she wound back the clock in a shock quarter-final demolition of tournament favourite Jessica Pegula.

A decade after winning her second Australian Open, the 33-year-old Belarusian was back to her best, dominating No. 3 seed Pegula 6-4 6-1 in 97 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

Azarenka, the No. 24 seed, now faces reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the semi-finals.

“It is hard to beat her (Pegula) because I want her to do well,” she said. “She has been playing amazing, very consistent. I knew from the first point I had to bring it. So many rallies. I just wanted to try to stay there, take opportunities because she was going to take everything if I don’t try to win myself.

“I am very proud that I executed my game plan really well … it’s so amazing to be in a semi-final of another grand slam.”

Azarenka, who is the last woman to successfully defend the Australian Open crown (2012-13), gave birth to her son Leo in December 2016.

She said a change in mindset was behind her run at this year’s Open after a couple of years in the wilderness where she failed to get past the fourth round at a grand slam.

Victoria Azarenka celebrates victory over Jessica Pegula. Picture: David Gray/AFP

“Last year my tennis wasn’t bad but I wasn’t there mentally to go out there. I played with a lot of fear and anxiety so it really was difficult to be brave and to take … to make the right choices in the important moments when you feel anxious and hesitant.

“I worked a lot on my mindset and challenged myself on my things I wouldn’t really do before and pushed myself forward.

“When you achieve great success sometimes you become conservative and more hesitant to try new things. This off season I was like, you know what, be open-minded and try new things and I put my head down and worked hard.”

Azarenka is hoping to join three greats of the game who achieved the ultimate in the Open era after becoming mums – Australia’s Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong and Kim Clijsters.

Court, the most prolific grand slam winner in men’s or women’s tennis history, won three majors – all in the same year (1973) – after becoming a mum.

Azarenka (R) was too strong for her training partner. Picture: William West/AFP

Goolagong-Cawley also won a grand slam after returning to the game as a mother. She won Wimbledon in 1980 and remains the only mother to win at the All-England club.

More recently Clijsters won three grand slams with her baby daughter sitting in the stands, including the 2011 Australian Open.

Azarenka’s last appearance in the finals at a grand slam was at the 2020 US Open where she lost in three sets to Naomi Osaka.

Adding to the enormity of the victory was the fact Azarenka didn’t finish her fourth round victory over Lin Zhu until 2.20am on Monday morning.

Rather than be slow out of the blocks as many would have expected after such an unusual preparation, the two-time Open champion quickly raced to a 3-0 lead in the first set.

There was a late wobble when she was broken serving for the set after having two set points but she hit back immediately, breaking Pegula’s serve the very next game to get the important advantage.

Unfortunately for the American she virtually raised the white flag in the second set in one of her most disappointing performances in a long time.

Pegula has now failed to get past the quarter-finals at a grand slam from five attempts including three consecutive times at the Australian Open.

QUIT THREAT TO FINALS: VEKIC’S MIRACLE COMEBACK

– Sam Landsberger

Donna Vekic wanted to quit tennis. Aryna Sabalenka was sick of serving.

On Wednesday they meet for a place in the Australian Open semi-final. For different reasons this was a match up not so long ago looked a long way off.

It was at Melbourne Park in 2021 when Vekic felt vulnerable. She was bounced 6-1 7-5 by Jennifer Brady and booked for knee surgery.

“I said twice I’m going to quit tennis,” Vekic said on Monday.

“The whole of 2021 I was struggling, still had pain. After Australia last year I had to take another couple of months off again for the knee. It was just a battle.

“I hope that I finally found the solution, how to deal with it. It will be up and down for the rest of my career.”

Donna Vekic considered retirement as she battles with injuries over the last two years. Picture: Getty Images.

Vekic is 26 and competing her 11th Australian Open. She turned pro in 2012, the same year she turned 16.

This is her first quarter-final and against a player that must query herself. Sabalenka, the No. 5 seed, has played Vekic six times and lost five of them.

The winner in their Rod Laver Arena battle will earn almost an extra $400,000 minimum.

Last year however she lost her serve. Before the Australian Open she couldn’t even land a second serve, resorting to underarms. Sabalenka finished the season with 440 double faults – 151 more than the next worst.

Sabalenka had 19 doubles in a match 12 months ago and turned to a biomechanics specialist to rebuild her technique.

“I was just like, ‘please, someone help me to fix this f***ing serve’,” she said.

“I’m sorry for swearing, but this is how it was.”

Aryna Sabalenka has struggled with her serves, finishing 2022 with the most double faults. Picture: AFP.

Former world No. 2 Agnieszka Radwańska has noticed Sabalenka’s strides.

“I think she’s calm. When she gets frustrated before sometimes points were going to the stands right away, and now she’s really handling the pressure and the emotions are very good,” Radwanska said.

“You can see she’s taking point by point, very calm and very focused.

“That’s a huge difference from her, and you can see that. Especially now against (Belinda) Bencic. Very calm and playing really good tennis.”

During a tournament in Adelaide, the 24-year-old simply could not land second serves in the court so she resorted to throwing in underarm serves. She finished the season with 440 double faults, 151 more than the second worst offender.

Originally published as Australian Open 2023: All the quarter-finals news from the women’s draw