Azarenka Believes The Men Grunt Just As Loud

Written by: Staff on 12th October 2013

Azarenka Believes The Men Grunt Just As Loud

epa03881602 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus returns the ball to Venus Williams of the US during their second round match of the Toray Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo, Japan, 24 September 2013. Williams won the match. EPA/KIYOSHI OTA |

Victoria Azarenka is one of the most notorious grunters on tour, but she doesn’t think that she’s unusual and says that there isn’t any real difference between the men’s and women’s games when it comes to players emitting loud noises.

“In tennis it’s weird because everybody keeps complaining that people grunt but if you watch any other sport (they do),” she told AFP with a laugh. “It’s the same with the guys’ tennis. You watch (Rafa) Nadal and (Novak) Djokovic. I mean how less intense was that (US Open final)? And nobody talks about it. This doesn’t make sense in my head.”

Azarenka conceded that her final round clash against Serena Williams at the US Open might have been hard on fans’ ears but says that that is what people should expect when two of the world’s best go head to head.

“You take each other to the limit of battle and give 100 percent in every point and when you play in the final of the US Open against a player like Serena you’ve got to do that because that’s what she does and that’s how she pushes you,” she said.

Azarenka cried for a long time after her 7-5, 6-7, 6-1 defeat to Williams in New York. She had come into the tournament having won their last two clashes on hard courts, but let down in the third set. However, she says that she didn’t allow it to damper her spirits.

“I have a 24-hour rule, win or lose. You have to get up and keep going. I was over it the next day,” she said. “Serena is always improving. This is the beauty of the competition. It’s a healthy competition and you have to rise to the occasion and really step it up (to) the next level if you want to be up there. Serena’s still not done.”

The 24-year-old Azarenka says that both she and Serena are playing the best tennis of their lives, although Azarenka was not on tour when Williams won four straight majors in 2002-2003. The Belarusian has a 3-13 head to head record against Williams, but believes she is right there with her. They have split their four contests this season (Serena won their sole meeting on clay in Madrid).

“It’s been really noticeable the gap from last year we have in the matches has minimized,” Azarenka said. I’ve beaten her twice this year. No one else has done that. It’s just exciting to be in the era of somebody and competing with somebody who is considered the best ever and being their toughest opponent.”

Topics: 10sballs, Atp, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Sports, Tennis, US Open, Victoria Azarenka, Wta

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October 1, 2013 at 3:23 pm

Azarenka Believes The Men Grunt Just As Loud – http://t.co/BtAZ7WKbnj #tennis @vika7 @ESPNTennis @BleacherReport @WTA