Victoria Azarenka might be a threat to Iga Swiatek’s number 1 ranking as she reveals “incredible bonding moment” with son Leo setting her priorities straight

The former World No. 1 opens up on her new found ambition to continue playing on the Tour despite achieving her initial goals.

Victoria Azarenka might be a threat to Iga Swiatek’s number 1 ranking as she reveals “incredible bonding moment” with son Leo setting her priorities straight

Victoria Azarenka with her son Leo (image via IMAGO)

World No. 31 Victoria Azarenka continues marching at the ongoing 2024 Qatar Open, the first WTA-1000 event of the season. Up against Xinyu Wang in the second round, the Belarusian won the tie 7-6(2), 6-2.

She is now in the round of 16 for the fifth time in her career. Azarenka has been a two-time champion at the tournament having reached the finals thrice. She played the three finals in a span of four years. The Belarusian won her first title in 2012 defeating Samantha Stosur in the finals.

YouTube video

She made a successful title defense in 2013 defeating Serena Williams in the title decider. Her foot injury in 2014 saw her miss the first 16 events of the season which included the Qatar Open. She returned to the event in 2015 and reached the finals but lost to Lucie Safarova.

FS Video

The two-time Australian Open winner notched up her 21st win at the tournament with her win over Wang today. Delighted with the win, she spoke at length in her on-court interview, primarily on earning good wins in front of her son Leo who is a constant companion of hers on the Tour. 

When I was young, all I wanted was to win a Grand Slam & be number 1, and I’ve achieved it. I wanted to continue & repeat that feeling. After I had Leo my priorities shifted a bit. I had to find a way to balance myself a bit, where I don’t feel guilty for missing out on some of the time with him & dedicate myself to the craft.
Said Azarenka. 
I think I found a balance through understanding that I’d love for him to see how hard I work & how much I put into it. It’s the best example by showing it. I’m pretty proud he can be around while I’m still playing & he sees what I do. It’s an incredible bonding moment for us.
Added the former World No. 1.

The Olympian then went on to thank the legends who played before her for making tennis as a sport accessible to many young girls by inspiring them. She hoped to increase the bar and leave a lasting impact as the sport continues to evolve at a rapid pace with the Tour expanding globally.

An old foe awaits Victoria Azarenka in the next round

With the win over Wang, Azarenka will now take on the eighth-seeded Jelena Ostapenko in the third round. The two ladies will fight it out for a place in the quarter-finals in what will also be their fifth career meeting.

Victoria Azarenka
Victoria Azarenka (image via IMAGO)

Azarenka currently leads the head-to-head 4-0. Her latest win came earlier this season when she beat the Latvian in the third round of the 2024 Australian Open in what was a controversial match. The AO clash was their second meeting of the season as the duo had also met in the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International.

With Ostapenko winning the title in Linz in the last week, she will back herself to record her first win against the Belarusian veteran. As for Azarenka, playing at one of her favorite events with high motivation will surely make this clash an exciting one to watch out for.

In case you missed it: