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Two-time Grand Slam winner Victoria Azarenka recently opened up about her early tennis dreams, shedding light on her childhood inspirations during a post-match press conference.
After her commanding 6-3, 6-0 victory over Nadia Podoroska, Azarenka gave insights and experiences about the match and her ongoing Wimbledon journey.
Victoria Azarenka also highlighted her perspective on the importance of Grand Slam tournaments. The Belarusian emphasized that all Grand Slam events hold equal prestige and importance for her, and the desire to win remains consistent across all.
"Definitely one of them," Azarenka said when asked if she dreamt of winning Wimbledon. "I think that they are very unique, every Grand Slam is very unique."
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When asked about her early aspirations, Victoria Azarenka recalled her childhood days when she used to imagine playing against tennis greats like Steffi Graf and Monica Seles.
"Yes, I always had fun. I didn't think, okay, I'm going to become -- not that I didn't think I wanted to become the best player in the world, but it was I loved the game, I love to compete, I love to challenge myself," Azarenka reflected. "I would imagine when I was like 10 years old playing against the wall that I'm playing in Wimbledon or I'm playing in the US Open or Australian Open, and I'm beating Steffi Graf, which I have never had the chance to play against, or Monica Seles, you know."
Victoria Azarenka soars past Kuznetsova, clinches 12th place in open era's most Grand Slam wins for women's singles
In a recent exhibition of remarkable prowess, Victoria Azarenka emerged victorious in her second-round Wimbledon match against Argentinia's Nadia Podoroska.
This victory pushes Azarenka one step closer to the top 10, ranking her 12th in the tally of most Women's Singles Grand Slam titles. Executing a smooth straight-sets win 6-3, 6-0, the Belarusian advances her total Grand Slam match wins to 155.
This year marks her return to SW19 for the first time since 2021, following the lifting of a ban on Russian and Belarusian players, a consequence of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Victoria Azarenka's latest feat is a testament to her sparkling career, boasting two Grand Slam singles titles. She won the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013 and reached three US Open finals. With 21 WTA titles and a current ranking of No. 20 in global standings, the 33-year-old continues to make waves in the tennis world.
The recent success enables Azarenka to overtake former world No.2 Svetlana Kuznetsova, nudging the Russian player down to the 13th spot. At 38, Kuznetsova last competed in 2021 at Wimbledon and has since taken a hiatus from competitive tennis, leading many to speculate about her retirement.
In the third round of Wimbledon this year, Azarenka, seeded 19th, is set to face off against the 11th seed Daria Kasatkina on Friday, July 7.
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