Within four days Victoria Azarenka had gone from playing in her first Grand Slam semi-final since 2013 to hitting on the clay courts of the Italian Open in Rome.
The former world No.1 returned to competitive action on Wednesday fresh off her solid run in New York that has elevated her back up the rankings to inside the top 15 for the first time since 2017. Her latest challenger was veteran player Venus Williams who she disposed of 7-6(7), 6-2, to record her 12th win within the past month. Despite the straightforward score, Azarenka was tested throughout after being broken four times and had to fend off a set point during the opener.
“Obviously playing on a different surface was definitely challenging, but I feel like I have adapted pretty well,” said Azarenka.
“I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. I knew I wasn’t going to play a perfect game. But it was all about trying to find the right intentions to do today. I think it worked out okay. “
Azarenka is the only US Open semi-finalist to have made it to Italian capital this year with the others instead opting to skip ahead to the French Open. Which will begin a week on Monday. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tennis schedule has been revised with tournaments bunched closer together than they normally would. Nevertheless Azarenka sees the positive side to the current situation.
“I think the best way to transition is to play matches. I know physically it’s quite challenging, on your body it is quite challenging but I wanted to do this. I knew I was going to come no matter what.” She stated.
“I’m very happy that I did. I think there is no better way to adapt than playing matches. You know, staying in the bubble is tough, but might as well commit to these few more weeks that we have left in the year and then go back home.”
The 31-year-old Belarusian hasn’t had much success on clay so far in her career. Only one out of her 21 WTA titles has been won on the surface back in 2011. Furthermore, she has won less main draw matches at the French Open (22) than any other Grand Slam.
For Azarenka she admits that playing on the clay requires her to adapt both mentally and physically in the coming days.
“On hard courts I’m pretty comfortable with staying and hugging the baseline and taking everything early. And I think you have to be a little bit more adaptive on clay where sometimes you need to move back and have that transition, a little bit longer rallies. The building of the point has to be a little bit more constructive,” she explains.
“Mentally, I believe there is also an adaptation where the rally may be longer. Some balls may not bounce as well as on hard courts.”
Azarenka will play Sofia Kenin in the third round in what will be a battle of the Australian Open champions.
