"It can be a bit comical" - Victoria Azarenka on dealing with Jelena Ostapenko's line-call challenges during Australian Open 3R
Victoria Azarenka labeled Jelena Ostapenko's challenging of line calls "comical" after getting past the Latvian 6-1, 7-5 in the third round of the 2024 Australian Open on Saturday, January 20.
Azarenka, who also witnessed Ostapenko's challenges in the quarterfinals of the Brisbane International earlier this month, was asked if she found the 26-year-old's behavior distracting. The Belarusian replied that she couldn't explain why Ostapenko questioned so many calls.
"I can't speak for how she feels and why she does it. I don't know. Some of the line callings, I mean, it can be a bit comical. I'm like, Whatever. What are you going to do? Sometimes we look at the lines and you're like, Are you sure it was in when it's close? When it's pretty obvious, then you maybe don't argue as much," she said at the post-match press conference.
Victoria Azarenko also pointed out that Ostapenko's on-court conduct remains unchanged in victory and defeat. At Brisbane, Ostapenko had ranted at the chair umpire while calling her "blind."
"I think it's something you kind of expect. She's doing what she's doing. It's actually interesting 'cause I feel like it doesn't necessarily always affect her. When she's winning, she's like this; when she's losing, she's kind of like this. I think it's just how she deals with herself on the court," the two-time Australian Open winner said.
"There are no bad players in the fourth round of a Grand Slam" - Victoria Azarenka
When it was pointed out to Victoria Azarenka that she would be one of only six seeds to progress through to the fourth round in Melbourne, the Belarusian asserted that every match was going to be a battle.
Azarenka, who triumphed at the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013, said that every player who advanced to the Round of 16 did so deservingly.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek has been eliminated by unseeded 19-year-old Linda Noskova 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. But defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, who is seeded second at Melbourne, has progressed to the fourth round, along with fourth seed Coco Gauff and ninth seed Barbora Krejcikova.
"Every match is going to be a battle. There are no bad players in the fourth round of a Grand Slam. If they are here, that means they worked their butts off and they played well and they deserve to be here," Azarenka declared during the same press conference.
Victoria Azarenka will square off against Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine in the fourth round of the Australian Open.