Azarenka, Reynolds, Haynes, and Stubbs Drilling at a Washington Kastles Practice

Azarenka Video Rating: 5 / five[/random]

Azarenka Set for strong summer of tennis

Currently ranked as the No.1 tennis player in the world, Victoria Azarenka is a Belarusian Tennis player leading the way in the women’s game. At just 22-years-old, she has achieved great success and could potentially dominate for years to come. She certainly has time on her side and after bursting onto the scene in 2007 at the US Open, she is now back in form and the player to beat in 2012.

With a victory already achieved in at the Australian open this year, many are anticipating a strong Wimbledon campaign, to add to her already significant trophy cabinet.  Last year’s Wimbledon was a strong campaign from the Belarusian champion who reached the semi-final before losing in straight sets to eventual champion Petra Kvitova, however Azarenka believes she is stronger than ever and ready to make amends for last year with her eyes fixed on Wimbledon glory,

Azarenka’s greatest risk to derailing her tournament success is  an ongoing shoulder injury which has caused her a number of problems this year, but she is confident of steering clear of injury to help secure her first Wimbledon victory. Despite this she will have to deal with the strong Maria Sharapova who is on a good run of form and will be looking for revenge against Azarenka following her defeat in the Australian open earlier this year.

Equally Serena Williams has already defeated Azarenka in the Madrid open proving she will be ever present heading into a highly competitive ladies Wimbledon this year. With age on her side continued success and reaching the latter stages of big tournaments can only help build confidence for the future.

Victoria Azarenka | Dubai Full of Surprises Travel Show | Dubai Duty Free

Azarenka Video Score: four / five[/random]

THE ROAD TO GREATNESS

Victoria Azarenka is considered to be the Number 1 professional tennis player as of April 16,2012. Azarenka has crazy tennis skills and has come a very long way to reach this position. Not only did Azarenka win the 2012 Australia Open but also became the first Belarusian player to win a singles Grand Slam (having prviously won titles in doubels at the the 2007 US Open with Max Miryne and the 2008 French Open with Bob Bryan.)

Azarenka moved to Arizona where she was trained by the National Hockey League goalie Nikolai Khabibulin and his wife. She took a break for a while from tennis to focus on education; however after the death of the grandmother she focused back on sports.

Her year has started with a bang, with Azarenka winning the first title of the season at the 2012 Apia International Sydney. She won the first four matches with ease, defeating her first four opponents Heather Watson, Cassey, Mona Barthel, and Iveta Benesova.

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Carla Suarez Navarro future tennis star

Azarenka Video Score: 5 / 5[/random]

AZARENKA LOSES

World number one women’s tennis player Victoria Azarenka has lost her first match in the calendar year of 2012, bringing an end to a 26 match unbeaten streak from the start of the year in the first three months when she was beaten in straight sets by Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli in the Quarter Final match of the Sony Ericsson Open. The 26 match unbeaten streak that Azarenka accumulated in the first three months is the best winning streak by any female player on Tour since former world number one Martina Hingis went 37 matches without defeat at the start of the 1997 season.

Azarenka looked visibly tired during the match and did very little to hold off a determined Bartoli who is hungry for an A-list title, not having won one since ages. Her baseline shots made Azarenka look like a child and she made many uncharacteristic mistakes that no one expected of the 2012 Australian Open champion. Victoria Azarenka had a very unreliable serve throughout the match and the atypical mistakes that she made from the baseline all conspired to bring about her downfall and ending her winning streak.

Speaking in the press conference after the match, a visibly disappointed Azarenka stated that this loss might just be the inspiration that she needed, adding that she’s just human and not a superwoman. But she also stated that she is extremely proud of what she has done over the last couple of months and hopes that the next times, she’ll go much longer than just 26 games without defeat.

Victoria Azarenka is now looking for the start of the clay court season where she is hoping to grab the French Open title, something that she has dreamt of since her early days in tennis and feels this is the right moment for it.