2 years ago
62
If Victoria Azarenka hadn't rediscovered her sublime champion connected the roadworthy to the Australian Open quarter-finals, possibly she did en way to the last four.
In a wondrous show against No.3 effect Jessica Pegula connected Tuesday night, the 33-year-old mum from Belarus precocious to the Australian Open semi-finals for the archetypal clip since 2013 — erstwhile she won the 2nd of consecutive Melbourne majors.
The 24th effect broke Pegula's service successful the 2nd crippled of the lucifer and seldom surrendered power implicit the remainder of the Rod Laver Arena fixture, charging to a 6-4, 6-1 triumph successful an hr and 37 minutes.
LIVE UPDATES: Australian Open 2023 time 9 highlights
READ MORE: Icy Demon reply unveils sneaky Novak ploy
READ MORE: 'Friend's' abhorrent $1.77m Schumacher move
When Azarenka takes to the tribunal against No.22 effect Elena Rybakina connected Thursday morning, she'll diagnostic successful her archetypal expansive slam semi-final since the 2020 US Open.
"Mum's the word!" Sam Smith said connected the Nine broadcast arsenic Pegula deed the shot agelong to seal the result.
"Azarenka backmost successful the past 4 Down Under and ripping up the signifier publication astatine this women's draw."
Smith repeatedly marvelled astatine Azarenka's vocation resurgence passim her lucifer against Pegula.
"I consciousness similar we've been transported backmost successful a clip instrumentality by Victoria Azarenka," Smith said during the archetypal set.
"This could beryllium 10 years ago, couldn't it? Or is that my imagination?"
Azarenka smacked an unreturnable two-handed backhand aboriginal successful the archetypal acceptable to punctual much praise from Smith, the erstwhile satellite No.1 from England declaring those successful the stands had been "spellbound".
Watch the Australian Open unrecorded and escaped connected the Nine Network: Channel 9, 9Gem and 9NOW.
Azarenka toyed with Pegula portion starring 3-1 successful the 2nd set, lobbing the shot from down the baseline and punishing a driblet changeable soon after, thumping a two-handed backhand to triumph a 19-shot rally.
"This is vintage Azarenka," said Nine commentator Jelena Dokic.
"This is her astatine her best."
How Azarenka conquered 'fear', 'anxiety'
Azarenka struggled successful her 2022 campaign, failing to progress beyond the 4th circular of a expansive slam.
In an on-court interrogation with Nine's Casey Dellacqua, she elaborate her efforts successful conquering intelligence limitations.
"I felt similar ... past year, my tennis wasn't bad, but I wasn't truly mentally determination to spell retired there. I played with a batch of fear, with a batch of anxiety, and it truly was hard to beryllium brave and to marque the close choices successful important moments erstwhile you consciousness anxious, you consciousness hesitant," Azarenka said.
"And I worked a batch connected my mindset, challenging myself connected things that I wouldn't truly bash before, and tried to propulsion myself forward.
Match Highlights: Jessica Pegula v Victoria Azarenka
"When you execute large success, sometimes you go blimpish ... you're a spot much hesitant to effort caller things.
"And this off-season I was like, 'You cognize what? I conscionable (need to) beryllium open-minded, effort caller things, enactment my caput down and enactment hard'."
Azarenka dispatched 2020 Australian Open victor Sofia Kenin, Argentina's Nadia Podoroska, No.10 effect Madison Keys, China's Lin Zhu and Pegula connected her way to the semi-finals.
No.5 effect Aryna Sabalenka is the lone remaining top-10 effect successful the women's singles gully pursuing the exit of Pegula.
For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!
:contrast(4)/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Fe2bc6a8b-63cd-4f11-95e5-569d2fadc842)
English (US) ·