Azarenka Flew to Boston to Play Fed Cup vs. USA

Written by: Staff on 31st January 2012

Azarenka Flew to Boston to Play Fed Cup vs. USA

Victoria Azarenka of Belarus makes a fist after winning over Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia on 22 January 2012. EPA/BARBARA WALTON |

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Newly crowned Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka flew trans-Pacific in style as the newest major singles champion heads for the weekend Fed Cup tie near Boston, with a pair of Williams sisters due to appear on the opposite side of the court when Belarus faces the US.

The 22-year-old Azarenka will meet up with her mother for the first time since the win which put her into the world No. 1 position after hammering Maria Sharapova for the title and putting her nation back into the world tennis conversation.

She is now the top target in WTA tennis – and loving the idea of defending her position.

“I think people have much more motivation to beat me. But that’s really exciting to go on court and have someone on the other side who really, really wants to beat you. I’ll enjoy that challenge so much. I enjoy the battles, enjoy the moments.

“We get the chance to be somebody we want to be. Some people never get the chance.

I’ve been building my mountain, climbing, rock by rock. It doesn’t matter how I got here really, I’ve enjoyed the whole journey.”

Belarus has until now made only rare appearances on the tennis stage, with Natasha Zvereva the last woman from the country (then part of the USSR) losing the 1988 French Open to Steffi Graf. Veteran Max Mirnyi, the Beast of Belarus, plays on the world No. 2 doubles men’s team with Canadian Daniel Nestor. He won the 2007 US Open mixed with Azarenka, at the time a raw teenager.

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