Victoria Azarenka facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Victoria Azarenka

Azarenka at the 2024 DC Open
Native name	Вікторыя Азаранка
Country (sports)	Belarus
Residence	Boca Raton, Florida, United States
Born	(1989-07-31) 31 July 1989 (age 36) Minsk, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Turned pro	2003
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach	None
Prize money	US $ 38,532,860 5th in all-time rankings
Singles
Career record	635–269 (70.24%)
Career titles	21
Highest ranking	No. 1 (30 January 2012)
Current ranking	No. 76 (16 June 2025)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	W (2012, 2013)
French Open	SF (2013)
Wimbledon	SF (2011, 2012)
US Open	F (2012, 2020)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	F (2011)
Olympic Games	Bronze (2012)
Doubles
Career record	189–75 (71.59%)
Career titles	10
Highest ranking	No. 7 (7 July 2008)
Current ranking	No. 151 (16 June 2025)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	F (2008, 2011)
French Open	F (2009)
Wimbledon	QF (2008)
US Open	F (2019)
Mixed doubles
Career titles	3
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open	F (2007)
French Open	W (2008)
Wimbledon	F (2018)
US Open	W (2007)
Other mixed doubles tournaments
Olympic Games	W (2012)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	21–5
Medal record Representing  Belarus Olympic Games Gold 2012 London Mixed Doubles Bronze 2012 London Singles

Azarenka on a Belarusian postage stamp

Victoria Azarenka (born July 31, 1989) is a professional tennis player from Belarus. She has been ranked as the world's number one player in women's singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). She held this top spot for a total of 51 weeks.

Victoria has won 21 singles titles on the WTA Tour. This includes two major championships at the 2012 and 2013 Australian Open. She was the first Belarusian player to win a major singles title.

She has also reached the finals three times at the US Open. She was runner-up in 2012, 2013, and 2020. In singles, she won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics.

Victoria has won 10 WTA Tour doubles titles. She reached a career-high ranking of world No. 7 in doubles. She also won three mixed doubles titles. These include two major titles at the 2007 US Open and the 2008 French Open. She also won an Olympic gold medal in mixed doubles at the 2012 London Olympics.

About Victoria Azarenka

Early Life and Training

Victoria Azarenka was born in Minsk, which was then part of the Soviet Union. Her tennis hero is the famous German player Steffi Graf. Victoria has said that Graf's amazing "Calendar Golden Slam" in 1988 is her biggest inspiration.

When she was 15, Victoria moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, in the United States, to train and live. She was helped by a hockey player, Nikolai Khabibulin, and his wife. In 2013, she bought a house in Manhattan Beach, California, which became her main home.

Victoria's Tennis Journey

Starting Her Career

Victoria began playing on the junior tennis circuit in 2003. By 2005, she had a very successful year. She won two junior Grand Slam titles: the Australian Open and the US Open. She finished that year as the junior world No. 1 player. This made her the first Belarusian player to be named the ITF World Champion.

First Big Wins (2006-2008)

In 2006, Victoria started beating top-ranked players. She reached the third round of the US Open, which was her best Grand Slam result at that time. In 2007, she reached her first WTA final in doubles. She also won her first mixed doubles Grand Slam title at the US Open with her partner Max Mirnyi.

In 2008, Victoria reached the doubles final at the Australian Open. She also won the mixed doubles title at the French Open with Bob Bryan.

Breaking into the Top 10 (2009)

The year 2009 was a big one for Victoria. She won her first WTA singles title at the Brisbane International. She then won two more titles, including the important Miami Open. This win helped her reach the world's top 10 players for the first time. She was only the second woman from Belarus to achieve this. She also reached the doubles final at the French Open.

Staying Strong (2010-2011)

Victoria continued to play well in 2010. She reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and won two more singles titles. She also won a doubles title with Maria Kirilenko.

In 2011, she won the Miami Open again. She also reached her first Grand Slam singles semifinal at Wimbledon. At the end of 2011, she made it to the final of the WTA Finals, a big tournament for the best players.

Becoming World No. 1 (2012)

The year 2012 was Victoria's best. She started by winning the Sydney International. Then, she won her first Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open. This win also made her the world No. 1 player for the first time.

She continued her winning streak, taking titles in Doha and Indian Wells. Her amazing 26-match winning streak finally ended in Miami. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, she won two medals: a bronze in singles and a gold in mixed doubles with Max Mirnyi. She also reached the final of the US Open. Victoria finished 2012 as the year-end world No. 1.

Defending Her Title (2013)

Victoria started 2013 by successfully defending her title at the Australian Open. This was her second Grand Slam singles title. She also won the Cincinnati Open by defeating Serena Williams in a thrilling final. She reached the US Open final for the second year in a row.

Dealing with Injuries (2014-2015)

In 2014, Victoria faced many challenges due to a foot injury. This caused her to miss several tournaments. She ended the year ranked lower than usual. In 2015, she continued to work her way back. She reached the final in Doha and the quarterfinals at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

Return to Top Form (2016)

Victoria had a strong start to 2016. She won the Brisbane International. Then, she achieved the "Sunshine Double" by winning both Indian Wells and Miami. This made her only the third player ever to win both big tournaments in the same year. Her ranking rose back to world No. 5.

Coming Back After Motherhood (2017-2019)

Victoria took a break from tennis in mid-2016 because she was expecting her son, Leo, who was born in December 2016. She returned to playing in 2017. At Wimbledon, she reached the fourth round. In 2018, she reached the mixed doubles final at Wimbledon with Jamie Murray. In 2019, she won a doubles title in Acapulco and reached the women's doubles final at the US Open with Ashleigh Barty.

Major Final and Top 20 Return (2020)

In 2020, Victoria won her first singles title since 2016 at the Western & Southern Open. She then had an incredible run at the US Open. She reached the final, defeating Serena Williams in the semifinals. This was her first Grand Slam final since 2013. Her strong performance brought her ranking back into the top 20.

Recent Years (2021-2024)

In 2021, Victoria reached the final of the Indian Wells tournament, a big achievement. In 2022, she reached the fourth round of the Australian Open. She also recorded her 500th career match win.

In 2023, Victoria made it to the semifinals of the Australian Open for the first time in 10 years. She also won a WTA 1000 doubles title in Madrid with Beatriz Haddad Maia. In 2024, she reached the fourth round of the Australian Open and the semifinals of the Miami Open.

How Victoria Plays Tennis

Playing Style and Strengths

Victoria Azarenka is known as an "aggressive baseliner." This means she hits the ball hard and early from the back of the court. She aims to hit many winning shots, but she also keeps her errors low. She moves her opponents around the court until she can hit a winning shot.

Her strongest shot is her two-handed backhand. Many people think it's one of the best backhands ever. Her special shot is a backhand hit down the line. She also has a strong forehand.

Victoria's first serve is powerful, reaching speeds of 185 km/h (115 mph). She is also known for her amazing return game, which means she's great at hitting her opponent's serves back. She can handle powerful serves and punish weaker ones.

Movement and Mental Game

Victoria is very athletic and moves quickly around the court. She has great footwork and balance. This allows her to play both offense and defense well. Even though she mostly plays from the back, she's also good at the net because of her doubles experience.

She is known for her strong mental game and competitive spirit. She loves to play on hard courts, as the consistent bounce suits her aggressive style. She has won almost all of her singles titles on hard courts. Because of her strong backhand, great return, and mental toughness, she is sometimes compared to male tennis star Novak Djokovic.

Sponsors and Earnings

Victoria Azarenka is one of the most successful female tennis players when it comes to earnings. She is sponsored by well-known brands like Nike for her clothes and shoes. In 2013, Red Bull also started sponsoring her, making her their first tennis player sponsor.

She has also had deals with racquet companies like Head, Wilson, and Yonex. Other sponsors include American Express and Citizen Watch. Citizen Watch even released a special line of watches designed by Victoria.

In 2013, Forbes magazine named her the fourth highest-paid female athlete in the world. Her earnings from tournaments and sponsorships were very high. Her prize money in 2012 was a record for a female athlete at the time. She is one of the top earners in WTA history.

Coaches Through the Years

Victoria has worked with several coaches during her career. From 2005 to 2009, she was coached by António van Grichen. From 2010 to 2015, Sam Sumyk was her coach, and they won her two Grand Slam titles together. She also worked with Wim Fissette and Michael Joyce. In 2020, she started working with Dorian Descloix and found new success. Later, she worked with Maxime Tchoutakian.

Victoria's Main Tennis Rivalries

Victoria Azarenka has had some exciting rivalries with other top players. Her matches against Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova are some of the most famous in women's tennis.

Azarenka vs. Serena Williams

Victoria and Serena Williams have played each other 23 times. Serena has won 18 of these matches, while Victoria has won 5. They have played many important matches, including 11 times in Grand Slams and 5 times in finals.

Their first match was in 2008 at the 2008 Australian Open. Victoria got her first win against Serena in 2009 at the Miami Open final. Their rivalry was most intense in 2012, when they played five times, including the finals of the US Open and the semifinals of Wimbledon and the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Victoria's third win over Serena came in the final of the Cincinnati Open. In 2016, Victoria won against Serena in the final of Indian Wells, becoming the first player to beat Serena four times in a final. In 2020, Victoria achieved her first Grand Slam win over Serena in the US Open semifinals. Even though Serena has won more matches, many people believe Victoria is one of the few players who can consistently challenge Serena.

Azarenka vs. Maria Sharapova

Victoria and Maria Sharapova played 15 times. Maria won 8 matches, and Victoria won 7. They were often ranked as the top two players in the world.

Victoria won their first match in 2007. Their rivalry became very strong in 2012, when they played six times, with four of those being in finals. Their most famous match was the final of the 2012 Australian Open. Victoria won this match and became the world No. 1. Victoria also beat Maria in the finals of Indian Wells and Beijing that year. Maria won their match in the semifinals of the French Open.

Azarenka vs. Li Na

Victoria and Li Na played 11 times. Victoria won 6 matches, and Li Na won 5. They had some very close matches, especially in finals.

Their first match was in 2008, which Li Na won. Victoria got her first win over Li in 2010. They played three times in 2012, and Victoria won all of them, including the final of the Sydney International. Their most memorable match was the final of the 2013 Australian Open. Victoria won this match in three sets to defend her Australian Open title.

Career Highlights

Grand Slam Singles Finals: 5 (2 Wins, 3 Runner-ups)

• 2012 Australian Open: Won against Maria Sharapova
• 2012 US Open: Lost to Serena Williams
• 2013 Australian Open: Won against Li Na
• 2013 US Open: Lost to Serena Williams
• 2020 US Open: Lost to Naomi Osaka

Grand Slam Doubles Finals: 4 (4 Runner-ups)

• 2008 Australian Open: Lost with Shahar Pe'er
• 2009 French Open: Lost with Elena Vesnina
• 2011 Australian Open: Lost with Maria Kirilenko
• 2019 US Open: Lost with Ashleigh Barty

Grand Slam Mixed Doubles Finals: 4 (2 Wins, 2 Runner-ups)

• 2007 Australian Open: Lost with Max Mirnyi
• 2007 US Open: Won with Max Mirnyi
• 2008 French Open: Won with Bob Bryan
• 2018 Wimbledon: Lost with Jamie Murray

Images for kids

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  Azarenka at Wimbledon in 2008

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  Azarenka competing at the 2009 French Open

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  Azarenka at the 2010 US Open

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  Azarenka playing at the 2011 Australian Open

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  Azarenka at the 2011 Rogers Cup

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  Azarenka (left) with an Olympic bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She and Max Mirnyi also won mixed doubles gold.

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  Azarenka at the 2013 Southern California Open

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  Azarenka at the 2015 Australian Open

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  Azarenka at the 2016 Australian Open player’s party

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  Azarenka at the Wimbledon Championships, 2017

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  Azarenka at the Wimbledon Championships, 2018

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  Azarenka at the 2019 French Open

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  Azarenka in June 2021

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  Azarenka at the 2022 French Open

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  Victoria Azarenka at the 2023 DC Open

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  Victoria Azarenka at the 2024 DC Open

See also

In Spanish: Victoria Azárenka para niños