Victoria Azarenka said she never felt more alone on the court than when she stormed off the court during her Miami second round match versus Linda Fruhvirtova. Before Miami, Azarenka didn’t really feel like playing tennis but still decided to give it a shot since it was a WTA 1000 tournament.
After beating Ekaterina Alexandrova in a tight first round match, Azarenka was 6-2 3-0 down to Fruhvirtova in the second round. Down bad to Fruhvirtova, Azarenka stormed off the court and retired without a clear reason. “Before Miami I started to feel like I don’t want to be here, I don’t want to play.
I felt like I had to, I had to go through this pain because there are important tournaments. I thought I was strong enough, but I wasn’t. I kept telling everybody I don’t want to play and I was hoping somebody was going to stop me and nobody did.
It was the most alone I ever felt on the court. It’s a viral clip now because I walked off the court,” Azarenka said on her podcast.
Vika on what happened in Miami
“Before Miami I started to feel like I don’t want to be here, I don’t want to play.
I felt like I had to, I had to go through this pain because there are important tournaments. I thought I was strong enough, but I wasn’t.” — Jay (@theoverrule) August 23, 2022
“I kept telling everybody I don’t want to play and I was hoping somebody was going to stop me and nobody did.
It was the most alone I ever felt on the court. It’s a viral clip now because I walked off the court.” — Jay (@theoverrule) August 23, 2022
Azarenka: I didn’t want to risk getting a panic attack
Azarenka didn’t feel well on the court and she feared she was at risk of getting a panic attack in the middle of match.
“All I could think about was I want to leave but I can’t. I’m looking at everybody ‘please get me out of here’ I just decided in one moment I have to go, I have to go, because either I will have a panic attack or I don’t know what’s going to happen to me.
I left. I was driving my car and I was like I have to be safe enough to not hurt myself. I lost that feeling of being happy on court,” Azarenka added.
“I thought about everybody else. I want people to understand that those moments are much more significant in someone’s life than what you see.
All I could think about was I want to leave but I can’t. I’m looking at everybody ‘please get me out of here'” — Jay (@theoverrule) August 23, 2022
“I just decided in one moment I have to go, I have to go, because either I will have a panic attack or I don’t know what’s going to happen to me.
I left. I was driving my car and I was like I have to be safe enough to not hurt myself. I lost that feeling of being happy on court.” — Jay (@theoverrule) August 23, 2022
Azarenka was criticized for her on-court behavior as former WTA stars, Justine Henin and Daniela Hantuchova, described her Miami actions as “unacceptable” and “disrespectful.”
