Victoria Azarenka’s start to the season in 2018 will be nothing like that: she has now cancelled her start to the season opener in Auckland.
In 2018 everything was supposed to be different – but first the new season for Victoria Azarenka begins as the old season ended: with a rejection. This time for the WTA tournament in Auckland, which took place on 1. January starts.
Since last summer, shortly after Azarenka returned from her pregnancy break, she has been in a custody dispute with her child’s father. Both parents are not allowed to leave California with son Leo until clarification.
“It’s violent for them. She has trained hard, she is a professional player and she wants to play tennis. And it’s hard for us because we were happy to have a player of her calibre with us,”said tournament director Karl Budge after Azarenka had informed him of her cancellation. For 2019, however, the Belarussian had promised. The currently confirmed Big Names in Auckland are Caroline Wozniacki and Agnieszka Radwanska.
However, Azarenka’s plans for the near future are still in the air – and so is a start to the Australian Open, which will be held on 15 January. January.