After a rough past couple of months that included a tight loss to Maria Sharapova at the French Open and an injury-enforced withdrawal from Wimbledon, World No 3 Victoria Azarenka enters the Southern California Open as hungry as ever.
Elena Rybakina put on a brilliant performance to defeat favourite Aryna Sabalenka 64, 46, 64 and lift her first Australian Open trophy.
Sabalenka, who was set to face American Emina Bektas, was replaced in the draw by Russian Erika Andreeva, while fellow Belarusian Azarenka's spot was taken up by another lucky loser in Frenchwoman Elsa Jacquemot.
Under the plan, players will have access to grants for fertility treatment and other benefits. It is the first time that maternity benefits are available to self-employed athletes.
Images from the US Open women's singles third round matches, at Flushing Meadows, New York, on Friday.
Australian Nick Kyrgios came from behind to defeat Mackenzie McDonald 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the Miami Open on Wednesday to earn his first win since October 2022.
That was the lesser of two disappointments for the Belarusian on Thursday, as Azarenka's bid for a third title at Melbourne Park ended with some regret at her missed chances against 22nd seed Rybakina.
'There's no thing that I could do that would have been right, so I just did what I thought was respectful towards her decision. But this conversation about shaking hands is not a life-changing conversation.'
The severe backlash that the Indian cricket team faced before its Asia Cup clash against Pakistan was a major contributing factor to the 'No Handshake Policy.
Having clawed her way back after years of setbacks in her career and personal life, US Open runner up Victoria Azarenka said on Saturday that she wouldn't let her three-set loss to Naomi Osaka in the final keep her down for long.
Victoria Azarenka, 31, won a bronze medal for Belarus in singles and a gold in mixed doubles at the 2012 Summer Games in London. Angelique Kerber, 33, won the silver in singles for Germany at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Images from Day 7 of the 2023 Australian Open, at Melbourne Park, on Sunday.
'Beautiful draw': Retiring Gasquet meets Sinner in French Open swansong
Azarenka, who sits on the eight-person WTA players council, said that combating abuse was the group's top priority.
Victoria Azarenka's return to the top has been a long road full of setbacks and challenges but she knuckled down, swallowed her ego and now finds herself back in a Grand Slam final after a seven-year absence.
Canadian Open champion Shelton was locked in an entertaining contest with Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in the day's opening match on Louis Armstrong Stadium when his tournament suddenly unravelled.
The free-swinging Monfils broke Draper's serve in the fourth set as the clock moved past 11pm local time and saved five break points in an epic seventh game to move 5-2 ahead.
Azarenka, 31, brought her an ice pack and a towel before helping the Russian qualifier, who burst into tears, to her chair where she received treatment.
Elena Rybakina stormed to her first Australian Open final with a 7-6(4), 6-3 win over Victoria Azarenka on Thursday, wearing the twice champion down in a cagey first set before dominating to close out the match.
Victoria Azarenka remained on course for a third straight Australian Open title with a thumping 6-1, 6-0 victory over Yvonne Meusburger in exactly an hour on Saturday.
Azarenka said she believed getting vaccinated was the socially responsible thing to do
Twice Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka overcame an inspired challenge from qualifier Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Monday to advance to the quarter-finals of the US Open.
Victoria Azarenka will miss this week's Fed Cup final in Minsk against the United States due to an ongoing custody battle with her baby son's father, the former world number one said on Tuesday.
Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo has joined Victoria Azarenka's backroom team as a consultant, the world number one's practice partner Julien Jeanpierre told Reuters on Friday.
Victoria Azarenka's career has been a rollercoaster ride since she since she returned to the tour in 2017 after taking time off to have her son, Leo. After three years away from the WTA Tour following the birth of her son Alexander, Tsvetana Pironkova, playing in her first event since 2017, claimed a shock upset at the US Open.
Victoria Azarenka rolled back the years at the Australian Open on Tuesday as the two-times champion crushed third seed Jessica Pegula to reach the semi-finals.
Dayana Yastremska upset of twice former champion and 18th seed Victoria Azarenka.
The fluorescent yellow outfit Victoria Azarenka wore as she dismantled Caroline Wozniacki at the Australian Open on Thursday was a one-word fashion statement -- loud.
Victoria Azarenka displayed the kind of form that could lead her to a hat-trick of Australian Open titles later this month by brushing aside German fourth seed Angelique Kerber 6-3, 6-1 in the Brisbane International final on Saturday.
Russia's Maria Sharapova beat World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 6-4 in the Stuttgart clay court final on Sunday to claim her first WTA tour title of the year and end a two-match losing streak against the Belarussian.
Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki has been sporting a dazzling ring after agreeing to marry golfer Rory McIlroy and Azarenka said the competition is on.
Victoria Azarenka reached her first grand slam final with a 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 victory over defending champion Kim Clijsters at the Australian Open on Thursday.
'I hope that as an association we make the best decision for our business, for our health, for the tournaments, for public.'
Victoria Azarenka's quest for her third successive Australian Open title took a little while to get going before she finally overcame a feisty Johanna Larsson 7-6, 6-2 in their first round match at Melbourne Park on Tuesday.
Geopolitical tensions simmered at the US Open on Thursday as Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk refused the customary handshake at the net when Belarusian Victoria Azarenka defeated her 6-2, 6-3 in the second round.
Victoria Azarenka from Belarus battled her way into the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Monday with a hard-fought 7-6, 2-6, 6-3 victory over Russia's Nadia Petrova.
Victoria Azarenka moved a step closer to securing the year-end No. 1 ranking with a 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 win over Germany's Angelique Kerber at the WTA Championships on Wednesday.
Belarussian Victoria Azarenka beat Marion Bartoli 6-3 6-1 in the women's final at the Brisbane International on Saturday to capture her first WTA singles title.
Serena Williams was forced to dig deep to secure a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 US Open quarter-final victory over unseeded Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova on Wednesday, keeping alive her latest bid for a record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title.
Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova both survived unscathed but the Sony Open lost two other grand slam champions on Friday when Victoria Azarenka and Juan Martin Del Potro exited the Miami tournament.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances