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U.S. OPEN

September 9, 2015

Victoria Azarenka

New York, NY, USA

S. HALEP/V. Azarenka

6-3, 4-6, 6-4

An interview with:

VICTORIA AZARENKA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You played so well. You fought so, so hard out there tonight. What are your emotions? Disappointment? What are your thoughts?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I think I played well. I believe I could have played better. I did really fight really hard, and I was trying to find solutions. She played really well today. I was a little bit surprised by the pace of her ball, to be honest.

I think that, you know, a couple of free points that I gave away today cost me the match a little bit.

Q. Seeing how Petra was out in the morning, a big opportunity, you played Serena well here in a couple of finals, two three-setters with her. Is there a sense that maybe you could get to her in this tournament? Does that put you under any more pressure in this match? Did you feel it was a great opportunity for you going into this?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: No, I didn't really look into that because I knew I had a tough match today. So I was just trying to play today and win today. That didn't happen. That's out of the question.

Q. You fought hard to come back into this match. You were up in the third set. Do you think maybe what you could have done to go up 3-Love before the rain, or...
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Maybe. You know, I don't know. It's tough to say what could have happened. I just tried to accept what happened and learn from it, just improve, because thinking of what could have happened is pointless to me.

Q. She struggled this year. She lost first round at Wimbledon. French Open didn't play that well. Were you surprised she played so tough at the end?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I don't usually get them when they are in the bad form. Usually they play really well against me. (Smiling.)

You know, she had a great summer. Obviously she played two finals in the two big events. Coming in she was in good form and playing well at the Open. So I didn't expect an easy match or that she was going to give me something away.

Obviously she didn't. She played well. She stayed strong. As I said, I believe that the couple points that, you know, I could have maybe be a little bit more aggressive or sometimes more consistent did cost the match today.

Q. You talked the other day about the dream and the passion to be back at No. 1. Obviously when you have had your share of injuries and been hampered by injury, are there things you could take from this tournament that make you feel that, you know, that the positives, if you can take out of it, that you're on track to maybe get back to your old form?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Definitely. I have no doubt in my abilities. This tournament is just another step forward. I believe I played pretty well throughout the whole tournament. There are, I think, quite a bit of improvements in my game compared to Wimbledon or other tournaments, so, you know, I'm on the right track. You know, today I didn't have much luck on my side today, I think.

But luck has nothing to do with it. You've got to create your own. I will keep working hard.

Q. Congratulations on a victorious season, at least. What do you plan to do in terms of relaxing and kind of reflecting? Do you take some time off after?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: We'll see. It's too close to think what I'm going to do. I'm definitely going to go home and spend some time with my family, pick my nephew up from kindergarten. So I'm looking forward to that. That's, you know, life experiences that has nothing to do with tennis that makes me happy.

And reflecting, I'm going to reflect after I'm done with tennis. I have no time for that.

Q. Simona said some nice things about Serena after the Cincinnati final. She said she might cheer for her to get the Grand Slam. This is kind of ironic. If she ends up playing her here it will be kind of a weird situation, wouldn't it? Do you think it was a mistake for her to say anything?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I'm not here to judge what she said. You know, she said what she wanted to say. If she ends up playing against her, you know, we will see what happens.

Q. Could be a lousy final, right?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I don't know. There is still semifinals that both have to win. So we'll see.

Q. You said you were surprised by Simona's pace today. Can you explain what was tricky?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah. I thought that she has more speed on the ball, and she does play with fast pace, taking the ball early. But the majority of her shots actually sits up pretty nicely. I should have adjusted a little bit better, take a little bit more advantage of that.

But she changed it up, her pace, and there were a few things that I was just a little bit surprised you don't see that well on TV when you face that, and since we haven't played against each other for a long time, that was a little bit of a surprise.

Q. Obviously the prime storyline here is about Serena and the slams and so forth. So if I could, could I ask you how you think Simona would line up against her, what her choices are? Just talk about...
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Well, if she's going to cheer for her during the match, then she probably has less chances, as she said after Cincinnati. (Smiling.)

I don't know. It depends on so many factors: how she's gonna play, how Serena is going to feel, what the conditions will be.

It's difficult to predict, you know. I just hope it's going to be a great final or semifinal. We still have semifinals. It's going to be great matches for women's tennis. That's what I'm hoping for.

Q. Do you think it feels all right to play Zhuhai instead of Singapore based on rankings at the end of the season, or do you feel very disappointed to not qualify for the Championships?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Do I not have any chance to qualify or what?

Q. You will actually have to try to qualify for Singapore?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: That's the goal.

Q. After two close matches with Serena in majors this year, were you particularly motivated here, maybe get one more crack? You had some very good chances in those matches.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I mean, of course I was looking forward to that, but what's the point talking about it right now? I'm out of the tournament, so I just gotta go back, back to work, and hopefully create another opportunity for the Wuhan, Beijing, next year, whenever it's gonna happen. Right now it's -- what do you want me to say? (Smiling.)

Q. You were mentioning the concept of luck and luck not being entirely on your side today. Tough losses at the slams. Do you think there was a little bit of luck just not on your side at the majors this year? Draws? Opponents?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I mean, I'm not gonna sit and find excuses or feel sorry that I was unlucky with the draw or whatever it is. You know, maybe it's just not my time right now. But that doesn't discourage me to work hard. And, you know, there's nobody in this world that's gonna put a limit on what I want to do.

To me, it's quite a good motivation.

Q. Does your nephew know that his aunt is a tennis star or an athlete?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I hope he just is proud that I'm his Aunt Vika, you know, regardless the rest of the stuff. You know, I hope he's just happy to see my face and he'll be excited. That's what I love about kids. They don't care about anything else but who you are as a person.

Q. And there's more tennis to play, but this is the end of the Grand Slam season. You put so much effort, worked so hard. Just talk about your Grand Slam season this year.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I think it's not bad for the ranking that I had. I don't think that anybody has done better than me where I am in the rankings. It could have been better. It is what it is. You know, it's that simple.

I just want to take it and accept as it happened. I made, what, two quarterfinals? Next one I want to try to make it further.

You know, I have won Grand Slams before. I believe I can do it again. I need to put more work in, and I'll get it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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