After the custody dispute over her son Leo, some normality seems to have returned to the profile life of Victoria Azarenka. After her first-round success in Madrid, the former world number one announced that she would also play some grass court events in Europe after the clay court season.
“I’ll play through to Wimbledon. That’s for sure”, Azarenka said after the 6:3, 6:3 against Serbian Aleksandra Krunic on Sunday: “I will play to Madrid in Rome and Paris, and then in Mallorca and Wimbledon. This is my plan for the next few months.”
Thus it is clear that the 28-year-old Belarusian can pursue her profile life on the tour again. This had not been the case this year for a long time because of the legal dispute with her ex-boyfriend Billy McKeague over custody of her one-year-old son Leo.
Before her start at the Mutua Madrid Open in 2018, Azarenka had only been able to compete in two tournaments so far. The reason: Her offspring were not allowed to leave California, the home of the small family, which is why she decided not to participate in the events in order to be there for Leo.
In Indian Wells in March, the 2012 and 2013 Australian Open winner did not make it beyond the second round – but it wasn’t until a little later in Miami that she lost to US Open Champion Sloane Stephens (USA) in the semi-finals. Azarenka wore pink shoes with the name of her semmelblonde junior.
These days, at any rate, Leo seems to feel at home on the business trip of his “Mum”. “He loves it here. Madrid is such a beautiful city – with so many attractions for children. We’ve been to so many playgrounds. And Leo loves the food here, I can tell you that,” reported the two-time Madrid finalist Azarenka with a smile.
The Mallorca Open (18 to 24 June), for which Rafael Nadals Toni will act as tournament director, will thus be the only grass court event off Wimbledon (from 2 July) for “Vika”.