Victoria Azarenko (height - 1.83 m, weight - 66 kg) - the former first racket in the world in singles tennis competitions, often gets reprimanded for inappropriate behavior on the court. The girl swears loudly and, when the racket hits the ball, makes rather loud screams. The athlete herself is not shy about her emotions. Victoria tries to remain herself and not hide from the public. For example, the tennis player's Instagram is full of funny photos and videos where Azarenko is “fooling around” with her son and friends.
Childhood and youth
Victoria was born in Minsk on July 31, 1989. The girl became the second child in the Azarenka family. The athlete has an older brother, Maxim. Tennis in the girl's biography appeared thanks to her mother - a methodologist at the center of Olympic tennis training in Belarus.
At the age of 7, the woman took Mukha (as the neighbors' children called Victoria) to coach Valentina Rzhanykh. The hardworking girl spent all the time on the court and at the age of 10 left home and moved to the USA, where she trained with professionals in her field. At the age of 15, the girl moved to Spain to get a sports education at the tennis academy under the leadership of Steffi Graf.
Tennis
An adult professional career for Victoria began with small matches in Israel in 2003. After 2 years, Azarenka got into the TOP-300 of eminent athletes and received the unofficial title "Best Young Tennis Player 2005".
In 2006, the girl won her first victory over a really weighty opponent. The athlete beat Nicole Vaidishova, one of the top 20 tennis players in the world. Azarenka's victory over Anastasia Myskina caused no less surprise in the sports world.
By the beginning of 2007, the girl broke into the TOP-100 rackets of the world, however, she took only 97th place. Another achievement of Victoria was success in mixed doubles - together with Maxim Mirny, the tennis player reached the semifinals of the Grand Slam.
The most important in 2008 was the WTA tournament in Prague, where the girl reached the final without a single defeat, but lost the prize to Vera Zvonareva. At the end of 2009, Victoria was already ranked 7th in the world. The athlete won 45 victories and lost only 15 matches.
The following year, the whole world watched as Victoria passed out during the battle with Gisela Dulko at the US Championships. The girl fell right in the middle of the game. Later it turned out that the cause of the discomfort was a blow to the head, which Azarenka received during the warm-up. Health problems threw the tennis player to the end of the world rankings, but the girl did not stay out of the game for long.
The most successful year for the athlete was 2012. The girl went to the Olympic Games, where she won gold in mixed doubles. The already proven Maksim Mirny became Azarenka's partner, and in singles the tennis player from Belarus received bronze. Victoria showed no less skill at Wimbledon, reaching the final and losing the last battle.
At the championship in Beijing, Azarenka reached the semifinals and lost. According to analysts, the injury was caused by an injury to the right shoulder, the condition of which still worried doctors. At the end of the year, Victoria was recognized as the first racket in the world.
After an incredible triumph, the athlete began to lose shape. The tennis player misses the prestigious title, yielding the first lines to Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. No less frustration is caused by leg injuries, which make Azarenka miss important championships.
The tennis player starts 2014 on the fourth line of the world rankings. The girl decides to suspend her competitive career in order to treat her injured legs and feet.
The return to competition in 2016 saw the victory in the Brisbane tournament and the rather daring defeat of Serena Williams at the Premier Mandatory. The next Olympic Games were waiting for the girl ahead, but the athlete refused to participate for family reasons.
Personal life
The first serious hobby of the tennis player was the singer RedFoo. The young people met in 2012. A romantic relationship between the artist and the athlete arose within a month. Lovers everywhere appeared together and almost never parted. The boyfriend proposed to Victoria, but it never came to the wedding. Young people dispersed in 2014, explaining their gap with too much employment.
In 2016, it became known that the Belarusian tennis player was pregnant. The child's father turned out to be Billy Macking, a hockey player from America. On December 20, 2016, the newly formed couple became parents. Victoria and Billy had a son, who was named Leo Alexander. The birth took place in the United States, which gave the child the right to dual citizenship.
Young people never became husband and wife, so after the breakup of a romantic relationship, the life of a tennis player was overshadowed by litigation. Returning to America, Macking filed a lawsuit demanding that custody of the baby be assigned to his father. The former boyfriend of the athlete claimed that the girl took her son out of the country without his knowledge.
The court sided with Macking, ruling that during the trial, Leo should not leave the state and live in Billy's house. Victoria, who was taken by surprise by the situation, tried to transfer the custody trial of her son to Belarus.
Victoria Azarenka now
In January 2018, it became known that an American court satisfied the tennis player's request to transfer the hearing to the territory of her home country. In turn, representatives of the authorities in Minsk appropriated custody of Victoria's son.
While the proceedings lasted, the tennis player missed several important tournaments, so Azarenka's lawyers intend to sue Macking and demand compensation in the amount of $ 10 million.
On the last day of July, the prima of Belarusian tennis Victoria Azarenka celebrates her birthday. The ex-first racket of the world, which today turned 28 years old, feels great in the role of a young mother and, with the former confidence, conquers the tennis Olympus again. Well, there is no reason to remember her and wish the Belarusian woman, who has hundreds of thousands of fans around the world, a happy birthday.
The champion's dad is a driving instructor
We have heard a lot about Victoria Azarenka's mother - Alla Valentinovna. She worked at the Republican Center for Olympic Tennis Training, and little Vika often came to her work, where she picked up a racket from a very young age. The tennis player spoke about this many times in an interview. But not much is known about Victoria Azarenka's dad. He is a driving instructor. His name is Fedor Mikhailovich. Having become famous, Victoria not only supported her parents, grandmother and brother in every possible way, but also gave them expensive gifts. In particular, she presented Lexus to her father several years ago.
Azarenka learned tennis at the expense of Peftiev
Tennis is definitely a very expensive sport. And Victoria's parents knew this very well. They even tried to dissuade their daughter from this sport, motivating with possible financial difficulties. But the daughter was adamant and, as it soon turned out, was also incredibly talented.
Even when Azarenka was a teenager and the prospect of studying and developing a career outside Belarus loomed before her, the first sponsor of the then unknown beginner athlete was the Beltechexport company, due to which Vika left for Marbella. The company belonged to Beltech Holding, of which Vladimir Peftiev was the leading shareholder. It is interesting that years later, when Victoria Azarenka was already at the peak of her career, their professional paths crossed again. In 2009, Vladimir Peftiev headed the Belarusian Tennis Federation and served as its chairman for 3 years.
Friends called Azarenka Fly
After the birth of her son Leo, Victoria Azarenka gave a long interview to the Eurosport TV channel, in which she spoke about her happy childhood, full of games and entertainment. And among other things, she admitted that she had the nickname Fly among her friends.
“I was always small, constantly running, buzzing. Perhaps that is why they called me the Fly, ”Victoria herself laughed at the memories.
Victoria Azarenka's best friend lives in Hawaii
In recent years, Victoria has become very close to Gabrielle Rees. Gaby, who has played beach volleyball for many years, married professional surfer Laird Hamilton. The couple settled in Hawaii and Victoria became a frequent visitor to their home.
Once in an interview, Victoria Azarenka admitted that she admires Gabrielle, considers her a role model and a very close-minded person. And the media have repeatedly called Gabrielle and Laird the tennis player's best friends.
I wonder if she came to visit them after the birth of the heir?
Victoria Azarenka will fight for the rights of mothers-tennis players
Returning a few months after the birth of her son to the court, Victoria Azarenka began to go to tournaments with him and ... faced the everyday and organizational difficulties of combining motherhood and work. Wanting to spend as much time with her son Leo as possible, Victoria, already at the second tournament after the decree, started talking about the rights of women and mothers in WTA competitions.
“Hopefully this will change. I have already talked about this with some people from the WTA. I will do everything in my power to improve the situation, because this is important. The guys in every tournament have the luxury of children's rooms and all that, and I think women should have the same. It's even more important for women, ”Victoria told Reuters, noting that the WTA isn't doing enough to support mothers with children. In particular, Victoria Azarenka-mother drew attention to the fact that nurseries and other amenities are not provided as mandatory at tournaments held under the auspices of the Women's Tennis Association.
Azarenka: the wall never smears or complains
In the summer, Victoria Azarenko will return to the court after the birth of her son. Belarusian - about childish concerns, mother's victory over cancer and a new team.
“I was in my imaginary world”
At least for a moment, she freed herself from maternal concerns and returned to the place where it all began, leaning against the wall, which was her first tennis assistant. “She was the best sparring partner - she would never miss or complain,” explains Victoria.
I started training with 40 children. If you missed, you had to wait five minutes before the next attempt.
This is the wall of a small gymnasium in the Republican Tennis Center in Minsk, next to which Azarenka lived in a small apartment with her parents, elder brother Maxim and grandparents. The mother of the future tennis player, Alla, worked here, so from a young age Victoria practically lived in this place: “If friends came to my mother late in the evening, they could only hear the sound of a tennis ball in the midst of silence. They went down to see who I was playing with, and each time they saw me all alone. But it was fun. I was in my own imaginary world. "
In this world, she fought with Steffi Graf and Monica Seles, superstars of the time, who ended their careers even before Azarenka started her own. But, returning to reality, I had to face many trials. “I started training with 40 children, we all played with a wall. And if you missed, you had to wait five minutes before the next attempt, - recalls Victoria. "So everything had to be done to prevent this from happening."
Now the stakes are even higher: titles in Grand Slam tournaments, millions of dollars, honor of the motherland and the sensational final of the Federation Cup against American women in the coming November - the first in the history of Belarus.
Former first racket of the world Azarenka is preparing to return to the tour after pregnancy, but now she is full of desire to climb to the top again. She will take to the court under the guidance of a new coach - Michael Joyce- and under the curious gaze of a new member of the team - the son of Leo, born in December.
“Of course, first of all I come back for myself, because I want to realize my full potential. But now this is not strictly my business. I want my son to be proud of me, I want to give him a convincing example that if you have a goal or a dream, you can achieve them if you work hard, ”admits Victoria.
"Serena asked a lot of questions about children."
But you have to start from scratch. When Azarenka returns to the tour (most likely at the end of July at Stanford), she will not have a single point in the table of ranks and, accordingly, the official rating. But she will be able to take part in eight tournaments under a protected rating - 6th place. True, you can't get sowing with it.
Victoria will return to the tour when there is no her biggest stumbling block. Serena Williams a few weeks ago she announced that she was pregnant and that she would definitely not play until the 2018 season. Victoria and Serena are good friends and the American visited Azarenka at her Manhattan Beach home in February.
“Serena asked me a lot of questions about children, but then I didn’t connect it in any way,” the Belarusian woman laughs. - I knew that one day it would happen to her, but I could not even think that so soon. If we are talking about tennis, then I'm trying to catch up with her, now Serena is catching up with me in the childish question. It's funny how things worked out in time, but I hope that she will return and we will have more battles, because she is one of those people without whom I simply cannot imagine a tour. "
At the same time, she returned to tennis and Maria Sharapova, who served a 15-month suspension due to meldonium. “I think that the most hungry tennis players to win will be Maria and Vika,” says Michael Joyce, who was Sharapova's sparring partner, then her coach from 2004 to 2011, and now still remains in touch with her.
The two-time TBS winner is considered by many to be one of the biggest victims of the Serena Williams era. The score of personal meetings between them is 4-17 in favor of the American, and Victoria suffered 10 defeats in the majors. “It will likely take a while to get back, but I always thought that if Serena hadn't blocked her path, she would have had a lot more TBS titles,” says coach Williams Jr. Patrick Muratoglu... "She really got hit by Serena because Victoria was very, very, very close to getting so confident that no one would stop her."
"The worst is when you can't help it."
Muratoglu describes Azarenka with the words “very persistent,” but there have been too many upheavals in her personal and professional life in the past 16 months, some of which only recently became known. During a tournament in Brisbane in January 2016, Victoria's brother called her in tears and said that their mother was diagnosed with cancer. The tennis player immediately dialed in person to her mother, but she denied his words. “She is a very strong woman and never shows that it’s hard for her,” Azarenka says.
Victoria continued the season, peaking in March and winning super tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami. In the BNP Paribas Open final, she left Serena Williams no chance. When Victoria returned to Minsk, her mother, who was already seriously ill at that moment, met her daughter at the airport along with the rest of the family. “My aunt was crying, everyone was crying,” Azarenka recalls. "My mother could no longer hide her illness."
The diagnosis was terrible - stage 4 breast cancer. “The whole situation was like a roller coaster. The worst is when you can't do anything. You can provide moral support, but you still feel helpless, "recalls Victoria.
The worst is when you can't do anything. You can provide moral support, but you still feel helpless.
In addition, even then Azarenka was pregnant, although she herself did not even know about it. She missed tournaments in Madrid and Rome due to illness, and at Roland Garros withdrew from the first round match due to a knee injury. The Belarusian woman learned about the pregnancy upon her arrival in London immediately after that defeat. She called her mother, who was about to have an operation. “I was crying and didn't know how to tell her. I panicked because I understood what my mother would have to go through, but she said: “This is amazing news!” Victoria does not hide her emotions.
Azarenka withdrew from Wimbledon, the official reason was a knee injury. But on July 15, she announced that she was expecting a baby and would have to take a break. Leo was born in Los Angeles on December 19.
Victoria's new home with ocean views in Manhattan Beach stays with her boyfriend Billy McKig her main place of residence, but she decided to prepare for her return mainly in Minsk, where her relatives support her. She plans to stay here until July. The workout schedule has to be adjusted to suit breastfeeding, and McKig is already getting used to the role of a young father: “You never know how a person will react when he becomes a father at a young age, but he loves Leo and is really attached to him. He understands very well what I want to do right now, and besides, he is ready to sacrifice time away from his family in the next five to six years, so that I can finish my career on the court on a positive note. "
27-year-old McKig met Victoria in Hawaii, where she came to visit friends - a surfer Laird Hamilton and his wife Gabrielle Reese... Prior to that, Billy worked as a golf instructor in New Zealand. As Azarenka admits, her companion is an optimistic, calm personality, which contrasts slightly with the character of the tennis player herself.
Into a new battle - with a new team
Victoria's return will begin with the third team in three years, which may seem like an unusually frequent change for a player of her caliber. She seemed to be a constant mentor Sam Sumick unexpectedly went to Eugenie Bouchard at the beginning of 2015, and now he trains Garbinier Mugurusu... After that, the Belarusian woman hired Vima Fissetta as a coach and lured to the team Sasha Bazhina- longtime sparring partner of Serena Williams.
For a man who was already the first racket in the world and won TBSH, she is incredibly hungry for victories.Under the guidance of the Belgian, Victoria's game quickly changed, but, according to her, Wim preferred to coach Johanna Kontu rather than waiting for Azarenka to return to court. With Bazhin, who is now working with Caroline Wozniacki, the Belarusian women went their separate ways, because a sparring partner during pregnancy is not the most productive assistant.
Michael Joyce works in Florida and did not come to Minsk until April. Azarenka admits that she respects him for his straightforwardness: “I don’t like it when they try to not offend me in every possible way. Michael has a very strong character. I love it, and when we first spoke, he pointed out a few things to me that caught my attention. And I thought, "Hmm, I can learn from this lesson."
Joyce has worked with a 23-year-old American woman for the past five years. Jessica Pegula, the daughter of an oil multi-billionaire, but, as Michael admits, for several years now he has dreamed of working with someone who will try to climb the summit. He did a little research on how athletes return to sports after pregnancy, and calmed down: “In general, apparently, in most cases, the female body is only getting stronger. I came to Los Angeles and spent some time with Victoria - I was just shocked by what I saw! For a person who has already been the number one racket in the world and won TBSH, she is incredibly hungry for victories. "
Azarenka wants to improve her serve and be more aggressive in games when she serves. She wants to add in tactics and movement, to strengthen the body. Victoria began training on February 4, just seven weeks after the birth of her son, but mostly focused on exercise to avoid injury. Despite the fact that Serena urged her to return to Roland Garros, Azarenka decided to postpone a little.
Creating your own luck
In the tennis center where she grew up, Azarenka and her mother walk through numerous corridors. Her visit was unexpected and for an athlete of this status it could even be dangerous, but people kept a respectful distance from the tennis player, only occasionally pointing a finger in her direction and whispering. One man approached her with a children's racket, which she signed with a ballpoint pen.
She climbed the stairs, past the corner where she had once watched live matches and exchanged words with future Federation Cup teammates. Then she came to another important wall - in her childhood she was still absent. There are photos of the best players and coaches of Belarus on it, and the image of Victoria herself is next to Natasha Zvereva- Finalist of Roland Garros -1988 and ex-first racket of the world in a pair.
To the question of what rushes through her head when she looks at this wall, Azarenka could not find an answer for a long time, and then turned to another part of it, on which there are photographs of players who were once the best in the country, but never who became top tennis players. “It's a very long road. There are a lot of players on this wall who were incredibly talented but failed to reach their potential. In juniors we had a guy who beat Rafael Nadal, but he no longer plays, ”says Victoria.
She pointed to some faces, and Alla, her mother, standing behind her, named several countries and cities in which these people now train or work: "Luxembourg, America, Ukraine, Moscow, America, America, Moscow." Azarenka herself has visited a huge number of countries. She left Minsk at a very young age in order to increase her chances of success, but now she herself admits that such things cannot be done without luck: “But I believe that luck appears because you create it yourself. Some people look at a great opportunity and think that something better will come along, they just have to wait. But you can't wait - grab the opportunity by the tail and use it! It seems to me that I have always succeeded in realizing opportunities, because I had very few of them. When I received them, I just grabbed them with both hands. "
Azarenka speaks these words slowly and confidently. For a tennis player who is capable of creating a real storm on the court, she looks very peaceful in life. This is partly due to the birth of Leo and new goals, but there is other great news: “Just a week ago, we learned that Mom was cured of cancer. I was crying, my mother was crying. She was so worried about the results, and what a relief it was. Not that there will never be any difficult times in our life again, but I feel like we have made a giant leap over a bunch of obstacles. "
Based on materials from The New York Times
Vika quickly jumps into her burgundy Porsche Cayenne, admonishing Alla Valentinovna and me with good advice: "It's best to sit in the London cafe."
The second racket of the world left to solve her housing issues, then she had a quiet hour on schedule. Tennis player and I also have everything on schedule: cafe, coffee, cheese, the recorder is on ...
"Cook borscht, cook a cutlet ..."
- For four years I have not worked in the Tennis Palace, - says Alla Valentinovna. - Now I spend a lot of time competing with Vika.
- In what status?
- Mom. What I can, so I help.
- I see that many famous tennis players have support in the stands of mom and dad ...
- In fact, tennis is one of the few sports where parents play a very important role. The season is very tiring, it lasts almost a whole year. And the moral support of loved ones is important.
- Life on wheels all the time?
- Of course, and it is very difficult. My help is even in folding and disassembling bags, washing things ... Tennis players simply do not have time for such everyday things. All these flights, travels were interesting to me at first, but now they are already tiresome. There is practically no rest. These are tourists who come just to watch the match.
- Are you being checked into a hotel with your daughter's team?
- Yes, we choose the hotel at the tournaments ourselves, but recently Vika has been trying to stay either in an apartment or in a house. A hotel is a hotel, and in the house you can cook both a cutlet and borscht.
- Does Vicki have a big team?
- Decent. Fitness coach, tennis coach, doctor, sparring partner ... A purely professional team, but I don't go there and I think it's right. She is my daughter, not me, her employee.
- Do you suggest something during the competition?
- Never. Everyone must do their job. I have to fry pancakes, and the coach has to train.
- How do you spend your free time at competitions?
- We go to dinner, I usually go shopping. But free time appears either when I arrive on the eve of the tournament, or after it.
- I've heard that Vika also likes to go shopping ...
- I think that this business is loved by all women, so do not believe if someone says otherwise. Another thing is that I usually buy things either for the house, or those that are very expensive with us. And Vika, of course, can buy so many clothes that she can hardly carry them away. But she noticed that she was drawn to big shopping when she was in a bad mood.
"Money from heaven to hernotfalling ... "
- Although Vika counts money - they don't fall on her from the sky.
- After winning the Australian Open, some publications were full of headlines: "Victoria Azarenko earned 2 million 500 thousand dollars ..."
- You know, we are already used to this, but, I think, it is not entirely decent to count money in someone else's pocket. Vika did not steal them from anyone, did not take them, but honestly earned them.
- Moreover, it also maintains the staff of the team at its own expense.
- Certainly! And salaries, and flights, and hotels - it's all out of pocket.
- Who does the bookkeeping?
- My daughter has a financier from Monaco. There are contracts with coaches, doctors ... Everything is civilized.
Housing problem
- Where does Victoria live, or is she, as they say, a citizen of the world?
- Vika has an apartment in Monaco, she has her own housing in Minsk.
- Let's start with Monaco ...
- She rents an apartment because it is terribly expensive to buy real estate there. A square meter of housing reaches 80-100 thousand euros! So, as a rule, all tennis players who want to become residents of Monaco rent apartments. Novak Djokovic, Caroline Wozniacki, Dinara Safina ... These are Vicky's neighbors. By the way, she communicates well with Karolina, Masha Kirilenko, Sveta Kuznetsova. Vika spent the pre-season in Monaco, preparing for Roland Garros there. Comes there for a couple of days or a week. A neat apartment, but I want to say that for people who are accustomed to a nomadic lifestyle, glamor in housing is useless. The main thing is to be clean, comfortable and calm. In general, when I was in Monaco for the first time, I thought that I had come to some country from a fairy tale. Beautiful architecture, friendly people ...
- Vika said that two years ago she moved into an apartment in Minsk.
- Yes, she bought a four-room apartment, but after redevelopment in the American manner, she made a three-room one.
- Why not a house?
- We are building a house in Minsk, but construction is like a natural disaster. There is no end to the end. By the way, we bought a house with a wooden bathhouse on the Vileika reservoir. We go there - and immediately turn off the phones. Only rest! Water, its own site - Monaco and did not stand nearby. When we bought this house, there was nothing there, except for a plot and a log house. But, as they say, we are settling in. And Vika comes there with pleasure.
- That is, the world tennis star did not want to buy a chic cottage?
- Why? And for whom? Show how much money she has? You're being built for convenience, not to show your neighbors how cool you are. Here Vika wants us to have chickens at the dacha, a couple of goats. We do a lot of homework - 300-400 liters each. Very few people believe this, but those who know are even surprised: why is this necessary? But I want my family to eat everything natural. Vika also loves homemade food, and she cooks herself decently. It seems that last year I even took lessons from one of the best chefs in Monaco. She cooks very well Thai and Italian dishes ... She invited her friends to dinner in Minsk, she did everything herself.
- Vika lived in America for a long time in the family of the famous hockey player Nikolai Khabibullin ...
- We know Kolya's family, Vika was invited to train there. At one time, they helped a lot financially, paid for the coach, travel ... But the daughter has already paid off with them completely. Today I understand that for Kolya then there was, of course, a risk, but it's great that he was justified. After Vika became a resident of Monaco, she began to visit America rarely, but she is still friends with Khabibullin's daughter, who also plays tennis. She even flew to Madrid for the tournament.
“The tennis players are screaming, and the ice hockey players are spitting on the ice. So what?.."
- Vika prefers to rest where?
- Last time I stopped in Monaco for three days.
- Has Victoria changed recently?
- For me - no. The daughter has matured, of course, but for parents, children remain children at any age.
- But, for example, I lost a crucial match. Is it closing?Wants to chat?
- It all depends on the situation, but I myself never, as they say, get into my soul.
- But it is clear that Vika is an emotional person. On the court, it can break the racket ...
- So tennis is passion, emotions. Watching a match while lying on the couch is one thing, but playing on the court is another. Or they are constantly asked: why does Vika scream so loudly during the match? But she has had it since childhood. Such a breath. Hockey players skate and constantly spit on the ice. So what do they need to seal their mouths with tape? We agree that the fans behave differently. Some sit quietly, others - on emotions. I understand my daughter ...
- When she won the Australian Open and became the first racket of the world, were you with her?
- No, I then stayed in Minsk, because such tiresome flights are not for me. It is too far. I watched the matches at home.
- Do not pray for Vicki's victories, do not light candles, like the parents of some athletes?
- No, but Vika herself maintains a close relationship in Minsk with Father Nikolai. When he comes home, he goes to him for talks.
The wedding is in perspective
- Today everyone is hearing about Vika's romance with Serhiy Bubka, the son of the famous Ukrainian athlete ...
- Yes, they have been dating for two years already, Serezha's family helps Vika a lot with accommodation in Monaco, because they are also residents of this country. By the way, we knew Sergei even before he and his daughter started dating, because he also plays tennis, they are practically the same age and from an early age they played in the same competitions. Then we met with his parents. Sergei's father is known to be a famous pole vaulter in the past. Now he is the head of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, vice-president of the IOC. Mom is a former gymnast. In a word, a sports family. We met in Monaco, we were together in Dubai this year.
- Vika and Sergey probably spend a little time together?
- I would not say that, because Sergei has now increased his rating, and he and Vika intersect at tournaments. I came to Minsk, trained here. I went to hockey with my daughter.
- Did you host a potential son-in-law at home?
- Why, if Vicki has her own apartment? They are adults ...
- But about the wedding, as far as I understand, there is no talk yet?
- As they say, there will be a problem - we will solve it.
- The wedding of Maxim Mirny in Minsk was a feast for the whole world. Would you like the same for Vicki?
- To be honest, I don't even think about it yet.
- Do you really not want to quickly nurse your grandchildren or granddaughters?
- Now I am not ready for this yet.
Mom - Mercedes, Dad - Lexus
- Vika also has a brother who could also become a tennis player ...
- Yes, but he played tennis very little. Coincidence. The coach is gone, maybe I didn't have enough perseverance, I didn't control it somewhere. Now he is studying and working.
- Does your sister often meet?
- Of course, they have a very warm relationship.
- But it is problematic for Belarusian journalists to meet and communicate with Vika. Ignore?
- Nonsense! Let's see how my daughter spent today. Before the start of the master class, there were two hours of training. After that, she left to solve issues on building a house. Then I went to sleep, because it is entering the regime. Later - the second training session. Now a French coach is coming, which means that the workload will be even greater. Yes, there was free time, but you need to go to a club with friends, to sit somewhere in a cafe, to go out into nature, to be with your family. Everything! The schedule is scheduled. So there is no bias towards journalists, although, of course, they write different things. But these are no longer our problems.
- By the way, about the problems. Does the name help Victoria to solve them in Minsk?
- Let's just say there are good friends who help us. But not because Victoria Azarenka is the star of world tennis, but because we are on good terms with these people. And so we don't go anywhere, we don't ask for anything, we try to get by on our own.
- And the Minsk traffic police officers are supportive of Vika?
- It can be different. For example, once she was fined for running across the road in Sukharevo during her morning jog. I don't know whether the police found out about Vika or not, but she paid the fine. As for her carriage, her daughter first got behind the wheel at the age of ten. Dad put a pillow and she learned to drive. At the age of 16 in America I passed my license, I rented cars there. Then she gave Dad a Mercedes in Minsk, and later - a Lexus, which, unfortunately, has now wound up. I also made a present for my birthday - a Mercedes -S550. An inexpensive car for my brother.
- Didn't offend anyone ...
- Yes, she helps the family a lot, she didn't refuse anyone. At a tournament in Germany, Vika was presented with a sports "Porshe". I will say that this is a very aggressive car. Previously, my daughter, of course, was reckless, but now she is trying to drive carefully. Although, it happens that the speed exceeds.
- When walking around Minsk, will people recognize?
- They find out, but it doesn't bother my daughter too much. It's just that sometimes in the club, when the visitors are drinking, they cling to different questions ... Why didn't you win? Why couldn't you? Drinking is easier than playing.
- Can she afford alcohol in the club while on vacation?
- If there is a week of free time, a glass of wine can be allowed. Not more. Vika breathes very evenly towards alcohol, although she is sometimes asked: "How do you relax?" Yes, during the rest, she does not particularly strain. Dances, sings, loves karaoke.
"All the time you won't be the first ..."
- Probably, it was psychologically difficult to bear the burden of the first racket, when everyone around is demanding only victories?
- And who demands?
- Fans, for example.
- This is their right. But to be the first all the time is simply impossible, given how crazy competition is now in women's tennis. I don't think that something can put pressure on Vika. She is quite independent, and no one can demand anything from her. There are responsibilities, work, but you will be first, second or fifth ... Was it a tragedy if your daughter moved to second place in the ranking? The world has fallen? This is a life in which there are ups and downs, so the situation must be taken philosophically. She does not prove something to someone, but does everything for herself. Moreover, she is only 22 years old. Still to come.
- How does Vika recover after such heavy loads?
- In general, I want to say that the work of tennis players is a hell of a job. There is practically no rest. In a year, if there are five weeks of rest - it's already good. But it is recovering. Proper nutrition, doctor, massage, sleep.
- Vika seemed to me a fragile girl ...
- I would not say that she is fragile. Yes, she follows a certain diet, the constitution plays a role. Knows what to eat in the morning, at lunchtime, in the evening. But she was fragile until 15-16 years old. It was then that I could not gain weight. And now ... How fragile she is?
- 15 years ago, could you imagine that your daughter would become the first racket in the world?
- I was sure that she would have a great future in a year after she started playing tennis. Although no one believed in this, except me and her first coach - Valentina Yegorovna Rzhanykh. By the way, she was recently awarded the honored coach of Belarus. This is a great person, she taught her daughter to love tennis. And I want to say that talent, character is one thing, but Vika is very hard-working. She began to take part in tournaments very early - at the age of 14. And she worked, worked, worked on herself ... It was hard, childish work. Someone at this age sits at the computer, and someone plows.
- The father of Maxim Mirny wrote a book about his son's ascent to the top. Do you have such a desire?
- No, I'm not a writer. I can give you a few recipes, but the book is too much ...
Victoria Fedorovna Azarenko was born on July 31, 1989 in the city of Minsk, the capital of the Republic of Belarus. The father of the future champion - Fedor Mikhailovich Azarenko - worked as a driving instructor, mother - Alla Valentinovna - worked as a methodologist at the Republican Center for Olympic Training in Tennis. Victoria is the youngest child in the family and has an older brother, Maxim. Currently, the name of Victoria Azarenka and tennis have become synonymous.
How did it all begin?
The future tennis player entered the sport at the age of seven. She was persuaded by her mother, who worked at the time in the tennis training center. Since that time, intensive training began. Victoria's first coach, Valentina Yegorovna Rzhanykh, noted a special purposefulness, endurance and a desire to be the first, no matter what. The tennis player's big break happened when she was 15 years old.
The stubbornness of the Belarusian champion was noticed by the sponsors of the junior team, and Victoria went to the Marbella tennis academy (a Spanish resort). By the age of 16, the girl went to America, to Scottsdale, which was facilitated by the famous NHL goalkeeper Nikolai Khabibulin and his wife Victoria, who was a good friend of the mother of the future champion. For the next four years, Victoria trained with the famous coach Antonio van Grihen, a native of Portugal. These trainings led the athlete to a serious result.
The end of participation in junior tennis was 2005. During this year, Azarenka took part in six tournaments, and only once did Victoria lose before the semifinals. On January 31, 2005, the tennis player proudly climbed to the very top of the junior top. ITF recognized Victoria Azarenko as the best tennis player of the year among juniors.
Play style
According to experts, Victoria often plays a tough, even aggressive game on the back line, uses powerful punches. It should also be noted that Azarenka's weak point is the ball serving, but since 2016 this element of Victoria's game has improved significantly. In addition, Victoria is considered the loudest tennis player. The sounds that the girl makes during the game, according to the equipment of the Wimbledon tennis tournament, reach 95 decibels, and their duration is one and a half seconds. Previously, aggressive play was accompanied by loss of control over oneself and obscene language during the tournament.
Belarusian champion wins
It is noteworthy that Azarenka is the first Belarusian tennis player to win the Grand Slam tournament. This is an open tennis championship that takes place in Australia. It was this stunning victory that allowed the famous tennis player to receive the title of the first racket of the world. At the moment, Azarenka ranks 95th in the ranking of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) (data as of April 16, 2018). Since January 30, 2012, for 52 weeks, Victoria ranked first in this rating. This is the best result of the athlete.
Champion path
Victoria's awards are numerous. The loudest in the biography of tennis player Victoria Azarenka are the following:
- Winner of the Open Grand Slam Championship in America in 2007, paired with Maxim Mirny.
- Winner of the Open Grand Slam tournament in France, paired with Bob Brian, 2008.
- Azarenka received a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics, which took place in London. She performed in tandem with Maxim Mirny.
- Bronze medal at the same Olympic Games, but alone.
- She took second place at the 2012 tennis championship.
- First place in 26 Women's Tennis Association competitions, twenty of which are singles and only six are doubles.
- On January 28, 2012, by the decision of the President of the Republic of Belarus, Victoria was awarded the Order of the Fatherland of the third degree.
- At the Olympic Games in London, Azarenka was awarded the Order of Honor for achieving high results in sports and a great contribution to the development of physical education and sports.
2009 was marked by the fact that Victoria got into the Final Tournament of the Women's Tennis Association. It was a real breakthrough in the tennis player's career.
Difficult period
The most difficult tournaments for Victoria were the 2010-2011 tournaments. The champion had serious health problems that required long-term treatment and rehabilitation. But Azarenka was always distinguished by perseverance and dedication, so the girl gathered her will into a fist and entered the top 5 of the world ranking at the next competitions. After that Victoria lost the title of the first racket to the champion from Russia - Maria Sharapova.
Loud return
2012 was a very busy year: in addition to many awards, Victoria became the winner in six more tournaments of the Women's Tennis Association.
2013 started well for Azarenka: on January 26, she won first place for the second time at the open championship in Australia, in February she confirmed the champion title, ahead of her rival, Serena Williams. The Qatar Total Open tournament was the first competition since 2009, where the tennis player managed to beat her American rival. But the successful start of the season had to be suspended as Victoria began to worry about injuries.
After recovering, Azarenka returned to the sport with great fuss, immediately beating Serena Williams at the championship in Cincinnati. However, in the final of the world's best tennis players, the draw brought them together again, and Victoria lost to Serena.
Old injuries
2014 was not so successful: Victoria did not manage to win in any of the tournaments in which she took part. Old injuries haunted and interfered with the usual game. Only once, at the very beginning of the season, Azarenka managed to reach the final of the tournament in Australia, where Serena Williams again won. Finally, the signs were heard, and Victoria suspended her activities to take care of her health.
Recovery
After a period of recovery in 2015, the Belarusian champion started the season with a bang, taking first place at the championship in Australia and at the tournament in Doha. However, at the end of the season, fate brought Azarenka and Williams back together on the court, where Victoria had to give up - Serena was stronger.
Victoria started the 2016 season quite successfully, having won first place in the Australian tournament. She managed to beat the German Angelique Kerber. This was the first resounding victory in the past three years and the 18th in Azarenka's entire career. Victoria made a splash when she took first place at the Indian Wells tournament, leaving Serena Williams behind. In the photo, Victoria Azarenka looks very luxurious.
Return to former glory
Azarenka managed, for the first time in the history of tennis in Belarus, to bring the team into the 8 strongest national teams in the world. This significant event took place within the Federation Cup in April 2016, where Belarus beat Russia thanks to Victoria.
The 2016 winter-spring season brought Azarenka 26 victories and fifth place in the ranking of the Women's Tennis Association. However, by the end of the season, old injuries began to bother her again, and Victoria refused to play matches. The champion also had to give up the Olympic Games in Rio, but for pleasant reasons - Victoria was pregnant.
Victoria returned to court in 2018. After a long pause, Azarenka managed to reach the second round of the main draw. Immediately after returning to sports, Victoria received an invitation to the main draw of the Miami tournament, the prize fund of which is more than $ 7 million.
Personal life
Victoria Azarenka's personal life is very eventful. Despite the fact that Victoria's employment was crazy: eternal training, flights from one end of the world to another, competitions and tournaments, all this did not prevent the tennis player from building her personal life.
Azarenka's first serious novel, which received worldwide publicity, was a relationship with the performer Redfu from the well-known group LMFAO. As Victoria herself said, she was a fan of the work of this group, and sympathy for each other began after Redfu was invited to Azarenka's press conference. This event marked the beginning of the relationship. Everyone was talking about a whirlwind romance, but it never came to marriage. Although the proposal was made, and the date of the wedding was set, for some unknown reason, the couple went their separate ways.
Victoria was very upset about parting with Redfu. After some time, the tennis player was noticed in the company of Billy Macking, a former American hockey player. The couple's relationship developed quite rapidly and successfully. On December 20, 2016, Victoria published a photo on Instagram, where she announced the birth of her son. The whole world was happy for the couple. In the photo with her husband, Victoria Azarenka seemed happy, but in July 2017 Billy Macking went to Beverly Hills, where he immediately filed a lawsuit for the kidnapping of the child. According to the data, the court quickly decided to return the child to Los Angeles. The 7-month-old baby stayed with his father, and Victoria was deprived of the right to spend the night with her son. Victory in the next trial was with Victoria, she literally won the right to fall asleep with her child. After a long trial, the couple came to an agreement on equal communication with their son, but the trial is still ongoing. Azarenka has hired the best Israeli family lawyer, and the hearing may be held in Belarus. According to the lawyer, Victoria has every chance of winning.
Victoria is a truly great athlete who has won many awards and received a worldwide calling, glorifying Belarus. The biography of Victoria Azarenka deserves respect: despite the injuries and troubles, she always strived only forward.
