Tennis-Azarenka Admits Newfound Confidence A Result Of Conquering Anxiety

Following a decisive victory over third-seeded Jessica Pegula on Tuesday, Victoria Azarenka said she was able to advance to the Australian Open semi-finals by changing her perspective and overcoming her anxieties.

The 2012 and 2013 winner, who was at her most aggressive on Rod Laver Arena, overcame the American opponent 6-4, 6-1. She later admitted that for the preceding six months, she had been dealing with a developing fear of failure.

She talked over her anxiety

“I was at the point where I couldn’t find anything I feel good about myself, not even one sentence. I broke a few racquets after my match in Ostrava (in October). That was a tough moment for me,” Azarenka said while talking to reporters.

“From then, I tried to take it more simple. I started with not trying to be positive, just trying to be neutral, not to go negative. Accepting the anxiety that I have. Accepting the fear that I have. Working through it. That was step by step.”

“I kept trying to go a step forward, another challenge. I learned how to start to build a process that is step by step instead of jumping to conclusions in the situation… which is pretty hard to do.”

“But I’m pretty happy that the process I’m going through makes me feel confident about myself, happy about myself, and helps me to be more open, be more accepting, be compassionate. ‘Compassionate’ was a hard word for me to understand.”

Azarenka was asked if dealing with her stress helped her understand her issues in 2013, when she had to defend herself against accusations of gamesmanship following her semifinal victory over Sloane Stephens at Melbourne Park.

After blowing five match points, the Belarusian requested a nearly 10-minute medical stoppage, which she denied after winning, claiming that she needed treatment for a rib injury that had impacted her breathing during a tense moment of the match.

“It was one of the worst things I’ve ever gone through in my professional career,” Azarenka said.

“The way I was treated after that moment, the way I had to explain myself until 10:30 p.m. because people didn’t want to believe me.

“There’s sometimes an incredible desire for a villain and a hero story that has to be written. But we’re not villains, we’re not heroes, we’re regular human beings that go through so many things.”

“It didn’t matter how many times I said my story, it didn’t cut through. Actually it’s funny that you’re saying that because I was thinking about it. It took me 10 years to get over it. I’m finally over that.”

Azarenka thinks her next opponent is powerful

The final two Grand Slam champions remaining in the draw will square off against one other when Victoria Azarenka faces Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the last four. 

“She’s powerful. Big serve. She’s in the semi-final, so she’s playing amazing. She had tough wins,” Azarenka said about Rybakina. “It’s going to be a big challenge. I’m excited about that.”

Also Read: Pegula targets first Grand Slam semi while Azarenka seeks revenge