Victoria Azarenka Improves To 24-0
With a 6-3, 7-5 win over Michaella Krajicek in the second round at the Sony Ericsson Open Miami today, Victoria Azarenka improved her win streak to 24 this season.
Azarenka’s perfect start is in line with men’s No. 1 Novak Djokovic who roared out to a 41-0 mark to start the 2011 season.
“Definitely it’s a great honor to be compared to a champion like Novak,” Azarenka said. “I think we have a little bit different path and different careers. You know, he has to have all the credit of what he did last year.
“But, you know, I’m not really thinking about numbers, the streaks, whatever. It’s your job to count; mine is to play tennis. I just try to, you know, stay focused every day and try to be the best player as I can be on every single match, every single practice. That’s what is the most important for me, to keep the motivation, to keep determination to improve.”
Azarenka now meets young Brit Heather Watson in the third round. And despite all the tennis and the accolades, the Belarussian says she’s feeling fresh.
“Well, physically I think the most important at these stages and when you play long tournaments, the recovery is the most important,” Azarenka said. “So you really have to, you know, be disciplined and be really focused on your recovery. That’s what I am trying to do. I have a great team behind me who helps me with that. I think it’s important to also have a fresh mind, you know, to make sure that you go with the desire every day to practice or to matches. But recovery is very, very important.”
Azarenka also maintains there’s been no real big change in her life or game that has led to her recent success.
” There is no really an answer. It’s just a lot of hard work that I have been putting in my offseason last year and the years before,” she said. “It’s just, you know, I feel like my game become more complete. I become a better tennis player. I became stronger physically, which also helps me a lot. It’s just really, you know, about doing the best job as possible every day, you know, and keep the same focus. But there is really no magic here.”
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