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AUSTRALIAN OPENJanuary 19, 2013Victoria AzarenkaMELBOURNE, VICTORIA V. AZARENKA/J. Hampton THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Tough match for you today. How do you feel after that? VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah, it was definitely tough. It's always good to know, you know, you battle through not playing well, not feeling great. It's important, you know, to be alive in the tournament. You know, towards the end things were going better for me. I'm glad about that, but definitely she played an outstanding match. Q. Did she surprise you with the power she was putting on the groundstrokes? VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah. I think she surprised everybody a little bit today. I didn't really see her play before, but my coach watched and he said she didn't play like that other matches that he saw. But she definitely, you know, went for everything there was today. And I know the same feeling when you go and you have nothing to lose. You're so loose, you're free, and you feel like you can't miss it. I felt like it was her day today. Q. You didn't play that loose and free. Was that because she was so unpredictable and then she got the injury and you didn't really know what was happening with her? VICTORIA AZARENKA: No, I mean, she played really well, you know. I felt like I started really well, then lost my concentration and lost my aggressivity a little bit and let her play. There's always two ways. Your opponent plays good and you can also make your opponent look good. There was two cases today, I think. Q. So in the third set did you feel like you had to play consistent because you knew she was on and off and a little bit hurt? Or did you feel like, I really need to stay up and play more aggressive? VICTORIA AZARENKA: I didn't really feel she was hurt much. It was a little bit obvious she was walking, but, well, when the ball was in play she was going for her shots and they were like this from the line. I couldn't focus on if she's injured why she's playing that well. I had to really just step up my game and try to, you know, get the most rhythm as possible and try to make her move, try to execute my shots, try to be more aggressive myself. Q. Did you hear the news about the former tennis player, Gussie Moran passing away? VICTORIA AZARENKA: Oh, no. Q. She played in Wimbledon in 1949 and wore a short skirt; was one of the first trailblazers in fashion for women's tennis players. VICTORIA AZARENKA: Unfortunately I haven't heard. Q. You don't know her? VICTORIA AZARENKA: No, sorry. Obviously that's very unpleasant news. Q. Always tough to play someone you haven't played before, but how would you rate your overall performance? VICTORIA AZARENKA: Hers? Q. No, yours. VICTORIA AZARENKA: Mine? I don't think it was the best performance, honestly, today; but in another way I can say I can play better, so that's a positive note from there. You know, these kind of matches sometimes are more, brings better things for you in the future, because winning ugly, you know, always means that you overcome something that you weren't feeling great, you weren't feeling all your shots. So I take it as a positive in the end of the day. Q. What parts of your game can you improve from today? What do you need to work on? VICTORIA AZARENKA: Oh, everything. Simple: everything. Q. What did your coach say after the match? VICTORIA AZARENKA: Well, he's the same. (Smiling.) Q. Little more critical? VICTORIA AZARENKA: He just said, you know, You can do better, but still, you cannot be negative, because I won the match. You know, she played incredible match, and I won in the end. You know, after the match you have emotions that you want to improve, and you kind of just try to focus on what you haven't done. You know, later today I'll think, Oh, you know I have done ‑‑ what I have done better and just kind of go from there. Q. Your first two matches you have won in straight sets. What did you feel today when she won the second set? Any nerves going through your mind there? VICTORIA AZARENKA: Nerves? Sorry? You said nerves? Q. Yeah. VICTORIA AZARENKA: No, I just knew that I had to play one more set, and that's it, you know. I felt like at 5‑3 I got that game and I felt that momentum, you know, was coming back. After the break she played a great game, and I just had to start from zero there. I kind of forgot that I played two sets and I had to start from zero. Q. I guess you have been around enough to know in a two‑week Grand Slam there are going to be these types of matches and not everything can be perfect now. VICTORIA AZARENKA: Oh, yeah, yeah. That's definitely what it is. As I said earlier, it's important to, when you're not playing that well, you know, to still win the match. From here, just I can only go up. Q. How do you prepare for your next match against Vesnina or Vinci? That's not going to be an easier match. VICTORIA AZARENKA: Oh, no, I didn't know who I'm playing, actually. I played both girls a couple of times already.  Actually, quite a lot long time ago, last year, but both very different style of game. You know, Elena is playing one of her best tennis in her life, especially very confident after winning title. And Roberta, also I feel like she's in the best shape of her life playing good, and she's been showing consistent result through the last year. Fourth round of the Grand Slam, second week, everybody wants to win and everybody is playing good. I'm looking forward to it. Q. A lot of players have been asked about the Lance Armstrong interviews. Did you see the interview? VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yes, I watched it. Q. What do you think about the whole situation? VICTORIA AZARENKA: Well, I think, you know, he deserves everything he gets. You know, you cannot go through the stuff and be a hero in the end of the day. You cannot lie. You cannot cheat. You know, the sport, everybody works so hard to be the best, and you have to respect that. You cannot go other ways. There are easy ways to do that. I think he deserves everything he gets. The only thing I liked about his interview what he said is he doesn't expect anybody to forgive him. There is no other way. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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