Two-time champion's Barty nod after 2am win

Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka gave a motion to retired Aussie prima Ash Barty pursuing her three-set triumph implicit Zhu Lin that finished aft 2am.

She volition adjacent look in-form American satellite No.3 Jessica Pegula successful a 4th last connected Tuesday.

In her post-match property league successful the aboriginal hours of Monday greeting the 2012 and 2013 AO victor was asked astir the biggest situation she faced against Pegula, the highest effect remaining successful the draw.

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"She plays rather simple, which I accidental arsenic a compliment - it's rather casual to beryllium flashy," she said.

Ashleigh Barty of Australia and Victoria Azarenka of Belarus astatine the trophy presumption aft their nonaccomplishment against Elise Mertens of Belgium and Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus successful the Women's Doubles Final connected Arthur Ashe Stadium during the 2019 US Open Tennis Tournament astatine the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center connected September 8th, 2019 successful Flushing, Queens, New York City. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images) (Corbis via Getty Images)

"It's easier to conscionable spell overboard (than) to person that consistency and simplicity … Ash Barty is 1 of those people.

"She conscionable did definite things truthful good and implicit and implicit and implicit again.

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"I consciousness Jess has successful her way, successful her style, benignant of similarity."

Azarenka played Barty 4 times earlier the Aussie's retirement, with the head-to-head finishing 3-1 to the Aussie.

Victoria Azarenka gave a motion to Ashleigh Barty successful her station lucifer interview. (Getty)

The brace besides famously teamed up successful the doubles gully for the 2019 US Open, wherever they made it each the mode to the final, but mislaid to Elise Mertens and Aryna Sabalenka.

Azarenka and Pegula meantime are divided 2-2. They past met astatine Guadalajara past October, which went the mode of Pegula 7-6 (3), 6-1.

They person met erstwhile earlier astatine the Australian Open - so it was the archetypal clip they had met - successful the archetypal circular successful 2021, which Pegula won 7-5, 6-4.

Azarenka and Pegula are besides bully friends and hitting partners. The Belarusian said she would beryllium retired to avenge that 2021 defeat.

Match Highlights: Victoria Azarenka v Lin Zhu

"Her stableness and consistency throughout, I wouldn't lone accidental past year, I would accidental the years earlier that, she's been an unthinkable player," she said.

"She got maine here, truthful I decidedly privation revenge. She's a large person of mine. I perfectly adore her. We person truly pugnacious battles each azygous time. We signifier with each other.  

"There's going to beryllium nary surprises … it's going to beryllium tough, it's going to beryllium a batch of rallies, the shot is going to beryllium low.

"It doesn't truly marque it easier to deliberation that I cognize who I'm playing."

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