Azarenka Blames Herself For Defeats In Asia

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 1st October 2013

Azarenka Blames Herself For Defeats In Asia

epa03881620 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus reacts during her second round match against Venus Williams of the US at the Toray Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo, Japan, 24 September 2013. Williams won the match. EPA/KIYOSHI OTA |

The most basic rule in sporting fitness is never ignore the debilitating power of a viral infection. Yet that is exactly what world no.2 Victoria Azarenka insists she was guilty of doing after a first round exit as last week’s Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo was followed by a similarly premature defeat in Beijing’s China Open.

Azarenka was stricken by an infected toe earlier in the year after a visit to the pedicurist and then injured both her knee and hip slipping early in Wimbledon. She claims to have contracted the virus soon after arriving in Japan.

Venus Williams inflicted a surprise 6-2, 6-4 defeat in Tokyo and things got no better as a weak and clearly out-of-sorts Azarenka lost 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 to Germany’s Andrea Petkovic.

Azarenka insisted there was nobody else to blame but herself, saying: “If I did it all again, I probably should have taken a longer break and prepared myself better. I don’t feel like I was ready to play—to be 100%. The preparation wasn’t enough, I cannot deny that.”

The Australian Open champion hit 15 double faults and another 44 unforced against Petkovic. “It’s my mistake for not paying enough attention after the US Open how I managed my time and managed my health,” she said. “But you cannot put yourself down too much. In the end the important thing is how you come out of it.”

Azarenka will now have a three weeks long competitive rest and not play again until the TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships that begin in Istanbul on October 21.

`And she is already analyzing her mistakes with coach Sam Sumyk and ensuring they don’t happen again. “In terms of emotions, there was a lot of frustration that I let myself get into because I wasn’t doing the right thing,” she said, responding to questions about her talking to herself.

“And with the serve, you know, trying new things, working it during the tournament. It was just off rhythm.”

Topics: 10sballs.com, Andrea Petkovic, Australian Open, Bnp Paribas, China Open, Tennis, Tennis News, Toray Pan Pacific Open, Venus Williams, Victoria Azarenka, Wta