"I didn't have that much play this year consistently, so the more matches I can have in a row is always going to be beneficial"-Victoria Azarenka on advancing to 3R of Guadalajara Open
Victoria Azarenka advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2022 Guadalajara Open as top seed Paula Badosa was forced to retire from the match due to illness. Azarenka was up 6-2 before winning the walkover match.
In a post-match press conference, Azarenka was asked whether she felt playing just one set was enough for her to feel confident going into the third round as her first-round match with Zhang Shui was canceled. The former World No 1 replied that she always felt her preparations were better when she played matches in a row. However, she stated that varying conditions between her matches helped her work her game.
"It's definitely good I played the match in different conditions compared to my first match.The more match play I have, the better I think I can work on my game," Victoria Azarenka said. "I didn't have that much play this year consistently, so the more matches I can have in a row is always going to be beneficial."
Azarenka also expressed concern for Paula Badosa and said she looks forward to playing with the Spaniard again once she has fully recovered.
"It's unfortunate we couldn't finish the match, and I hope Paula feels better, and the next time we play she's healthy, fully healthy." she said
"The crowd has been amazing; I wanted to experience that energy like I did today in the night match"- Victoria Azarenka on crowd support, conditions in Guadalajara
Victoria Azarenka will square off against Madison Keys in the Round of 16 at the Gualdalajara Open. In a press conference after her second-round win, Azarenka spoke about the crowd support that she received in Mexico and how much it enenergized her.
"The crowd has been amazing. I wanted to experience that energy like I did today in the night match. Like, I heard a lot of great things in Guadalajara from last year from the Finals, that the energy was really great," Victoria Azarenka said. "That's really what kind of motivates me the most to go out there and play, so that was really nice."
Azarenka was also asked how she felt about the weather and the conditions at the Guadalajara Open. She answered that being an asthamatic, she initially struggled to play in high altitude. However, she stated that she got used to it and as an athlete, believes one should be ready for all types of conditions.
"I'm not a fan of altitude. I have asthma, so it's not easy. But after a few days, it's just easier to accustom.We play in different conditions all over the world, so it's just one week with different conditions here." she said