Victoria Azarenka facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

In this article, the patronymic is Fiodaraŭna and the family name is Azarenka.

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

31 July 1989 (age 35)
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 $38,050,197

5th in all-time rankings

Singles

Career record

605–247 (71.01%)

Career titles

Highest ranking

No. 1 (30 January 2012)

Current ranking

No. 20 (28 October 2024)

Grand Slam singles results

W (2012, 2013)

SF (2013)

SF (2011, 2012)

F (2012, 2013, 2020)

Other tournaments

Tour Finals

F (2011)

Olympic Games

Bronze (2012)

Doubles

Career record

185–73 (71.71%)

Career titles

Highest ranking

No. 7 (7 July 2008)

Current ranking

No. 43 (29 January 2024)

Grand Slam doubles results

F (2008, 2011)

F (2009)

QF (2008)

F (2019)

Mixed doubles

Career titles

Grand Slam mixed doubles results

F (2007)

W (2008)

F (2018)

W (2007)

Other mixed doubles tournaments

Olympic Games

W (2012)

Team competitions

Fed Cup

21–5

Medal record

Olympic Games

Representing Belarus
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 became the world's number one singles player for the first time on January 30, 2012. She was also the top-ranked player at the end of 2012 and has held the number one spot for a total of 51 weeks.

Victoria has won 21 singles titles on the WTA Tour. This includes two big major titles at the 2012 and 2013 Australian Opens. She was the first Belarusian player to win a major singles title. She has also been a finalist three times at the US Open, finishing second in 2012, 2013 (both times to Serena Williams), and 2020 (to Naomi Osaka). She won a bronze medal in singles at the 2012 London Olympics.

In doubles, Victoria has won 10 WTA Tour titles. She reached a career-high ranking of world No. 7 in doubles in 2008. She has also won three mixed doubles titles. Two of these were major titles: the 2007 US Open with Max Mirnyi and the 2008 French Open with Bob Bryan. She also won a gold medal in mixed doubles at the 2012 London Olympics with Max Mirnyi.

About Victoria Azarenka

Her Early Life

Victoria Azarenka was born in Minsk, which was then part of the Soviet Union. Her parents are Alla and Fedor Azarenka. Her favorite tennis player growing up was Steffi Graf, a famous German player. Victoria once said that Steffi Graf's "Calendar Golden Slam" in 1988 (winning all four major tournaments and an Olympic gold medal in the same year) was her biggest inspiration.

When she was 15, Victoria moved from Belarus to Scottsdale, Arizona, in the United States. She went there to train and live full-time. She got help from National Hockey League goalie Nikolai Khabibulin and his wife, who was a friend of Victoria's mother. In 2013, she bought a house in Manhattan Beach, California, which became her main home.

Family and Time Off

Victoria has a son named Leonard, who was born in 2016. After the 2017 Wimbledon tournament, she took a break from tennis to focus on her family. She missed the rest of the 2017 tournaments. She returned to playing in April 2018.

Thoughts on World Events

In March 2022, Victoria shared her feelings about the conflict in Ukraine. She said she was very sad about the "actions that have taken place" (referring to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, which her home country Belarus helped with). She mentioned that Ukrainian and Belarusian people had always been friendly and supportive of each other. She found it hard to see the "violent separation" happening instead of people supporting each other.

Victoria's Tennis Journey

Starting Out in Tennis

Victoria Azarenka began playing on the ITF Junior Circuit in November 2003 in Israel. She won a doubles title there. At Wimbledon in 2004, she reached the semifinals of the girls' competition.

She had a very successful year in 2005. She won two junior Grand Slam titles: the Australian Open and the US Open. She finished 2005 as the junior world No. 1 player. The ITF (International Tennis Federation) named her the 2005 World Champion. She was the first Belarusian player to receive this honor.

Junior Grand Slam Results:

Australian Open: Winner (2005)
French Open: –
Wimbledon: Semifinals (2004, 2005)
US Open: Winner (2005)

Becoming a Pro Player

In 2006, Victoria started to beat higher-ranked players. She defeated Nicole Vaidišová (a top-20 player) in Memphis and Jelena Janković (a top-30 player) in Miami. At the 2006 US Open, she reached the third round, which was her best result in a Grand Slam at that time.

In 2007, Victoria reached her first WTA final in Gold Coast, Australia. She also had a big win at the US Open. She beat former world No. 1 Martina Hingis in the third round. In mixed doubles, Victoria and her countryman Max Mirnyi won the title. Later that year, she beat world No. 4 Maria Sharapova at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow.

Reaching the Top 10

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.

Azarenka competing at the 2009 French Open

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 in Memphis and Miami. Her win at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami was a major achievement. She beat world No. 1 Serena Williams in the final. This win helped her reach a career-best ranking of world No. 8. She was only the second Belarusian woman to be ranked so high. She also reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the French Open.

Staying Strong and Winning More

In 2010, Victoria continued to play well. She reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open for the first time. She won two titles that year, including the Bank of the West Classic and the Kremlin Cup. She finished the year ranked world No. 10.

Azarenka playing at the 2011 Australian Open

In 2011, Victoria won the Miami Open title again. She also reached the semifinals of Wimbledon for the first time, which was her first Grand Slam semifinal. She ended the year by reaching the final of the WTA Tour Championships.

Becoming World No. 1 and Grand Slam Champion

Azarenka (on left) with Olympic bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She and Max Mirnyi also won the mixed doubles gold beating Britain's Laura Robson and Andy Murray.

The year 2012 was amazing for Victoria. She started by winning the Sydney International. Then, she won her first Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open. By winning this tournament, she also became the world No. 1 player for the first time. She continued her winning streak, taking titles in Doha and Indian Wells. Her winning streak of 26 matches ended in Miami.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Victoria won two medals for Belarus. She won a bronze medal in women's singles and a gold medal in mixed doubles with Max Mirnyi. She also reached the final of the US Open for the first time. She finished 2012 as the year-end world No. 1.

Azarenka at the 2013 Southern California Open

In 2013, Victoria won the Australian Open again, defending her title. She also reached the final of the US Open for the second year in a row. She won the Cincinnati Open by defeating Serena Williams in the final.

Dealing with Injuries and Comebacks

Azarenka at the 2015 Australian Open

From 2014 to 2015, Victoria faced many challenges with injuries, especially a foot injury. This caused her to miss several tournaments. Despite this, she still managed to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2015.

In 2016, Victoria had a strong start to the year. She won the Brisbane International title. She then achieved the "Sunshine Double" by winning both the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments. This was a huge accomplishment, as only two other players had done it before. Her ranking rose to world No. 5. However, she later announced her pregnancy and took a break from tennis for the rest of the year.

Azarenka at the Wimbledon Championships, 2017

Victoria returned to tennis in 2017 after having her son. She played at the Mallorca Open and Wimbledon. She reached the fourth round at Wimbledon. However, she had to take another break from tennis later in 2017 due to family reasons.

In 2018, Victoria slowly worked her way back up the rankings. She reached the semifinals of the Miami Open, which helped her get back into the top 100 players in the world. She also reached the mixed doubles final at Wimbledon with Jamie Murray.

Azarenka at the 2019 French Open

In 2019, Victoria won a doubles title in Acapulco. She also reached the final of the Monterrey Open. At the US Open, she made it to the final in women's doubles with Ashleigh Barty.

Recent Successes

In 2020, Victoria had a big comeback. She won her first singles title since 2016 at the Western & Southern Open. She then had an amazing run at the US Open. She reached the final, beating Serena Williams in the semifinals. This was her first Grand Slam final since 2013. Her ranking went up to world No. 14.

Azarenka in June 2021

In 2021, Victoria reached the final of the Indian Wells tournament, which is a very important event. She also reached the semifinals of the German Open.

Azarenka at the 2022 French Open

In 2022, Victoria achieved her 500th career win on the tour. She reached the fourth round of the Australian Open. She also made it to the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event in Guadalajara.

Victoria Azarenka at the 2023 DC Open

In 2023, Victoria returned to the semifinals of the 2023 Australian Open after ten years. She also won her fifth WTA 1000 doubles title at the 2023 Mutua Madrid Open with Beatriz Haddad Maia.

Victoria Azarenka at the 2024 DC Open

In 2024, Victoria reached the fourth round of the 2024 Australian Open. She also made it to the semifinals of the 2024 Miami Open, showing her continued strength in the sport.

How Victoria Plays Tennis

Victoria Azarenka is known as an "aggressive baseliner." This means she hits the ball very hard and flat from the back of the court. She tries to hit many winning shots. Even though she hits hard, she doesn't make too many mistakes because her game is about controlled power. She moves her opponents around the court until she can hit a winning shot.

Her best shot is her two-handed backhand. She uses it to control the game. Her backhand shot down the line (a shot hit straight along the sideline) is her signature move. She also has a strong forehand. Victoria has a powerful first serve that can lead to aces (serves that opponents can't touch). However, her second serve can sometimes be a bit risky, and she might make double faults (two missed serves in a row) when she's nervous. But she makes up for this with her amazing return game, which is one of the best in tennis history. She can handle powerful serves and attack weaker second serves.

Victoria is known for her intense focus, quick movement, and excellent footwork. This helps her play both offense and defense well. Even though she usually plays from the baseline, she's also good at the net because of her doubles experience. She's also known for her mental toughness and competitive spirit. Victoria prefers to play on hard courts, where the ball bounces regularly and the pace is moderate. Most of her 21 singles titles have been won on hard courts. Because of her strong backhand, great returns, and mental strength, she is often 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 Nike for her clothes and shoes. She often appears in their ads. In 2013, Red Bull also started sponsoring her, making her their first tennis player sponsor.

She has also had deals with different racquet companies. She used Head racquets until 2012, then Wilson from 2012 to 2017. After her pregnancy break, she used Yonex racquets in 2017, but then went back to Wilson in 2018. After her strong 2020 season, Wilson officially sponsored her again. Other companies that have sponsored her include American Express, Citizen Watch, and Six Star Pro Nutrition.

In 2013, Forbes magazine named Victoria the fourth highest-paid female athlete in the world. She earned $15.7 million between 2012 and 2013, with $6.7 million from prize money and $9 million from endorsements. Her prize money of $7.9 million in 2012 was a record for a female athlete in any sport at the time. With over $38 million in prize money, Victoria is among 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, she worked with Sam Sumyk. With him, she won her two Grand Slam titles and became world No. 1.
She was coached by Wim Fissette from 2015 to 2016.
After her pregnancy break in 2017, she was coached by Michael Joyce.
In 2018, she reunited with Wim Fissette until late 2019.
In 2020, she started working with Dorian Descloix and had great success.
In October 2021, she began working with Maxime Tchoutakian.

Big Tennis Rivalries

Victoria Azarenka has had some exciting rivalries with other top players on the WTA Tour. Her matches against Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova are some of the most famous, as they have played each other many times.

Victoria vs. Serena Williams

Victoria and Serena Williams have played 23 times. Serena has won 18 of these matches, while Victoria has won 5. They have played 11 times in Grand Slam tournaments, with Serena winning 10 of those.

Their first match was at the 2008 Australian Open. Serena won that match. Victoria got her first win against Serena in 2009 at the Miami Open final.

The rivalry became very intense in 2012. They played five times that year, and Serena won all of them. This included matches at Wimbledon, the Olympics, and the US Open final.

Victoria's second win against Serena came in 2013 at the Qatar Total Open final. Her third win was at the Western and Southern Open final, which was a very close match. However, Serena won their next two Grand Slam finals at the US Open in 2013 and Wimbledon in 2015.

In 2016, Victoria earned her fourth win against Serena in the final of the Indian Wells Open. This was a special win because Victoria was the first player to beat Serena four times in a final.

In 2020, Victoria had a big win against Serena at the US Open semifinals. This was her first time beating Serena in a Grand Slam match. Even though Serena has won more matches, many people say Victoria is one of the few players who can consistently challenge Serena.

Victoria vs. Maria Sharapova

Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova had a strong rivalry in the 2010s. They played 15 times, with Maria leading 8-7 overall. However, Victoria led 5-1 in finals.

Victoria won their first match in 2007. Their first final match was at the 2010 Bank of the West Classic in 2010, which Victoria won. She also beat Maria in the Miami Open final in 2011.

Their rivalry really heated up in 2012. They played six times that year, with four of those being in finals. Victoria won four of the six matches. Their most famous match was the final of the 2012 Australian Open. Victoria won this match, becoming the first player from Belarus to win a Grand Slam singles title and become world No. 1. Victoria also beat Maria in the finals at Indian Wells and Beijing that year.

Maria won their only meeting in 2013 at the semifinals of the French Open.

Victoria vs. Li Na

Victoria Azarenka and Li Na played 11 times. Victoria won 6 of these matches, and Li Na won 5.

Their first match was in 2008, which Li Na won. Victoria's first win against Li Na was in 2010. They played three times in 2011, with Li Na winning two of those, including two Grand Slam matches.

Victoria won all three of their matches in 2012. Their most important match was the final of the 2013 Australian Open. Victoria won this match in three sets, successfully defending her Australian Open title. She became the first world No. 1 player to win a major title since Serena Williams in 2010.