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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 3, 2019

Victoria Azarenka

Wimbledon, London, England

V. AZARENKA/A. Tomljanovic

6-2, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. That obviously had the potential to be a very punishing, tiring day for you. How does it feel to win both matches and drop only three games?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Great (smiling). Yeah, I mean, I feel like it's a really good day today playing-wise. In my singles I did a good job. I was focused and started the match with a few errors, and kind of after that turned it around and I really, like, stepped it up and didn't let go.

You know, playing with Ash is always -- it's always really fun. We had a good time, and we played well today. I felt like a lot of balls were on the racquet. It felt like it today. We had a good first grass court doubles match (smiling).

Q. Have you ever had a day where you won 21 games in a row?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: 21?

Q. Two matches.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: You mean 24? Oh, I won 21? 21 in a row? One day, I doubt it. I doubt it.

Q. It was pretty crazy?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah, but the second one was with help. The first one, no help. First 12 with no help but then it was help. It was cool, yeah.

Q. What are your thoughts on playing Simona? You haven't had a ton of history against one another. What have you observed in her development over the years?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Well, she's very consistent. I don't think that she has developed too many different areas. She's just very solid.

You know, she's very good from the baseline, smart player, moves very well, brings a lot of balls back. We had quite a few entertaining matches, you know. She's definitely a tough opponent, and she's been quite consistent over the last couple of years.

She knows how to play big matches. Obviously she has a Grand Slam on her rÃ©sumÃ© now, so it also, I'm sure, helps.

It's going to be exciting. We played, I think, here last time. It was -- yeah, I had quite a bit of chances in that match, so it will be good, definitely a good challenge for me, for sure.

Q. What do you think the key is?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: To play my game. You know, I feel like when I'm focused on that, it doesn't really matter who is on the other side. I think that's the best approach for me and to generate my own chances and convert them.

Q. I'm just wondering if your preparation for Wimbledon this year was any different than preparation in years past.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Different in the years past? I mean, I get asked questions a lot about the past, and I can honestly tell you I don't remember a lot.

You know, I feel like I have kind of two separate lives, two separate careers: before Leo was born and after Leo was born. Last year it was kind of tough. It wasn't much of preparation. I was just trying to catch up and get matches and whatever.

So this year I did have a little bit of time. I didn't have a lot of matches before Wimbledon. I don't know what's ideal preparation for grass. I think it really depends, you know, how you are here one day at a time. It's a long two weeks, so it's a matter about adjusting and trying to bring your best every match.

Q. When you think about the work ethic that it took to get to where you are today, do you feel like there is anything you sacrificed in your life along the way?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Are you kidding? My whole childhood. My whole childhood was sacrificed for the dream. The word "sacrifice" kind of sometimes feels like it's a tough one. But you do sacrifice family time, growing up and going to school every day like every other kid.

But at the same time, I have opportunities like not a lot of kids have, and especially from where I come from, the chance of me making it on big stages was so small that I feel that it's a privilege, in a way. So it's hard to call it sacrifice at the same time. But definitely, you know, we are here every day traveling and, you know, not home. But I'm living my dream. I'm living what I love to do, and there is not a lot of people who can say that. So I'm privileged.

Q. You had such a great run here last year in the mixed doubles. How do you think that has helped you where you are now? And why aren't you playing in the draw this year?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Well, Andy Murray didn't ask me to play (smiling). Kind of pissed about that (smiling).

Actually, no, that's okay. I was hoping with the success what I did with Jamie last year I was going to be honored to get asked, but whatever (smiling).

No, I mean, last year was fun, because for me, at that time of my career it was important to get just any matches: singles, doubles, mixed doubles. It was important to be on the court and to get the practice and to have that competitive spirit and competitive, again, like, opportunities.

So it was definitely good for me to play as many matches. I don't know how much it helped me to play this year in terms of, like, grass court tennis, but it definitely helped me a lot at that stage of my career.

Q. Just one follow-up on that. What do you make of the Andy Murray/Serena Williams team?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I mean, good luck to everybody else (smiling). It's going to be a tough, tough, tough one to beat, you know. They both take it seriously. But I feel like it's going to be just a pleasure for people to watch. You know, it's going to be historic. So I'll be definitely watching, as well.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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