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BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL PRESENTED BY SUNCORP

January 7, 2016

Victoria Azarenka

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

V. AZARENKA/R. Vinci

6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Of your three matches, that was probably the toughest opponent and the best you played also so far; would you say that's fair?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I think I felt the most comfortable today definitely. I executed my plan really well and I started the match well, which I think was missing a little bit in the previous two rounds.

I felt my composure was solid from the beginning to the end. Pretty happy with that.

Q. You're facing somebody you've not faced at all next time around.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah.

Q. How is your mindset?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Curious. I'm curious to see how I can handle this situation. You know, semifinal is going to be interesting for both of us facing somebody I never face before. Haven't been in the semifinals in a while, which is great, too.

So it's a lot of good experience, and I'm looking forward to that. It's exciting. I think the important is to stay focused on myself, like I did the transition from my second match to the third round.

So I just want to keep myself in that bubble a little bit and have fun on the court.

Q. How did you stop yourself from thinking, Haven't been in the semifinal or won a title for a while. How do you compartmentalize, stop yourself from a getting too far ahead?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I just like to live in the present moment. It's as simple is that. Today I'm very happy about my match, but I'm actually way more happier that my best friend that had a really bad incident is fully recovered today. He sent me a video of him having full control of his hand.

For me, that was the biggest moment of today. It kind of gives you a little bit of a different perspective. I enjoy life. I don't think too much ahead. I enjoy the present moment and I enjoy just living my dream. Might sound a little cheesy, but, hey.

Q. The last couple of years do you think that's been the biggest maybe growth or change within you, having that perspective? You talked about the conversations with your grandmother and last year having to deal with all the injuries and thing like that. Is that the biggest kind of personal thing you've had?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: It's a huge personal change for me. I grew so much. I learned how to be by myself and enjoy my own company so much. Also how to love yourself, because I think it's quite a big challenge when you are a public person, when you have so many voices around you.

Some people struggle with their identity. So for me to kind of, you know, find it again and really trust that and be comfortable with who I am has been a great lesson really.

Q. As a tennis player in such a competitive environment, is it easy to get caught up in the results and kind of lose perspective, the perspective you talked about?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I think it really is if you listen a lot to what people think and you try to please everybody. I stopped giving a crap about it. I would say the other word but I may get fined for it again, so I don't.

Q. You get fined for press conferences?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I think I did. I didn't even know this one word was a cuss word, so I'll just try to keep it clean.

Q. What changed for you, Vika, that you talked about? Was it something you decided yourself to do? A conversation? Just experience?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I think whatever circumstances I was at, you know, I was -- I mean, I talked about being really emotionally depressed before from going through personal changes and having some issues with my dad and stuff.

So I guess it's just life lessons. I'm very observant. I just decided -- a lot of people talk about change and, you know. Be better and whatever. I decided that I'm not going to talk about it I'm just going to try to do it. I think there is a difference between wanting to change and willing to change. I feel like I'm on the right path with that.

Q. You say tennis makes you feel happy. Anything else you like to do away from tennis that you really enjoy doing?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Whatever I want to do, I'm doing it. You know, that's the beauty of my life. I have this luxury to do whatever I want to do. That's amazing for a girl from small country who grew up with nothing. It's amazing.

So I'm living my dream every day, whatever it is. I have a lot of interest off the court, and you guys are going to see a lot of it in upcoming months, years.

So I'm just going to try to surprise a little bit.

Q. Have you had a chance to see any of Samantha Crawford play?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I haven't. I haven't watched any matches. My coach did, I think, so we'll try to do with -- you know, scout however possible.

Q. Have you talked with him about her yet?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: It's too early. Tomorrow.

Q. When you're facing a player you haven't faced before...
VICTORIA AZARENKA: You're so serious. You're like freaking me out. We're just like people. Just be cool. There you go. I'm not biting, you know.

Q. When you face a player that you haven't played before, do you scout her...
VICTORIA AZARENKA: You have a cute smile. Use it. Use it. Smile. Be nice.

So what are you asking me?

Q. When you face a player that you haven't played before, do you scout on YouTube or anything like that?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Sometimes I do. I try to do it a little bit more to watch and be more prepared. But I got my friends to do that, my coach. They got way more time than me. I have better things to do, like watching a show or talking on FaceTime. Reading a book, which I don't. (Laughter.)

Q. What was the last book you read then?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Last book I read?

Q. Yeah.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I started few, but I haven't really finished many. Which one was that? 50 Shades of Grey. (Laughter.) The Christian part. Like the men's version of it. That was interesting.

Q. And didn't finish it?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: No. Actually, no. It was too much.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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