TENNIS AUSTRALIAN OPEN – 26th of January 2015. D.Cibulkova d. V.Azarenka 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. An interview with Victoria Azarenka
Q. You’re a glass half full kind of girl. Disappointing, but what do you take out of the whole Australian campaign?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I take it as a progress. I think there are a lot of the positive things to take from here. It’s a good start. There was some good quality of tennis today, even though the result is not the one that I wanted and not what I was looking for. But I need to be realistic a little bit and keep working hard and try to sharpen my game. I need to be more consistent and I need to be able to take my opportunities when I have them. But overall, I can be pretty happy. But I’m such a perfectionist that I don’t want to be satisfied.
Q. You had a fall in the sixth and eighth game in the second set, did that affect you at all?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: The fall?
Q. Yeah.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: No, I just slided and it’s fine actually. I think the first time I ever did a split. So I heard a bunch of photos bursting like (indicating rapid clicking), so I want some pictures. If I did the full split that’s going to be legendary. Seriously.
Q. Is that something you’ve been working towards, the full split?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Not really, but it surprised me.
Q. I know today must be disappointing, but would you say that this tournament has been the most fun you’ve had on the court in a while or could you compare this year to previous years?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Definitely compared to last year it’s a big difference. But just overall, I think my attitude and my approach to matches, to tournaments, has changed. That’s more satisfying for me. I feel that I’m very honest with myself on my effort and I’m working really hard. I’m just trying to do my best, so there are things I can be pleased with. As I said, I want to be realistic and I want to do better. I don’t want to stop here and be, Okay, this was a good match. I want to strive for much better. I’m just going to work hard, try to analyze this match, this tournament, and keep working. I think that the direction where I’m heading is the right way. Just needs to — I just need to go there step by step.
Q. Nick Kyrgios won last night. Not sure how much of that match you watched. I know you developed an off-court friendship with him. What do you see in his game? Obviously he’s an up and comer not only here but on the men’s tour overall.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I think he has a lot of potential. I think he has a great, I don’t know, hunger for success, and it’s really refreshing to see somebody so young being so confident with themself on the court. So that’s — I mean, for Australia I think it’s great to have such talent. I wish him all the best of luck. He did such an amazing job yesterday. Yeah, really proud.
Q. What is one of the best things about Dominika’s game?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: She really went for her shots today and was very fearless throughout whole match. She’s the type of player that sometimes you just get — she gets in that groove and it’s a little bit difficult to break that rhythm. But I think I still had my opportunities, and I really just didn’t — I wasn’t present enough today, and she was there. She jumped on those opportunities and really took control of that. So I think in that aspect, I have to give her a lot of credit.
Q. You don’t think her height is a disadvantage? She said she’s one of the smallest on the tour, so she has to work harder.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah, she doesn’t need to bend her legs that low as we do. So it’s 50/50. Yeah, their high balls might be a little bit tougher for her but lower balls are definitely easier.
