Azarenka: High-quality play 'goes beyond tennis'

ByMELISSA ISAACSON
September 5, 2015, 9:23 PM

— -- NEW YORK -- In a US Open already high on drama only three rounds through, Victoria Azarenka's victory against Angelique Kerber on Saturday was great theater and great tennis.

And, said Azarenka, great for women.

"I think it's great for our sport to be able to produce this kind of high-quality match," Azarenka said a 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 victory that took 2 hour, 52 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium. "I think it goes beyond tennis. It's just in general, in life, women have to always prove a little bit more, in business, in other sports.

"But I just want to show it on the court and not talk about it. I think today everybody saw what's been happening out there. I hope they can appreciate that."

ESPN analyst Mary Joe Fernandez called the high-quality match filled with long rallies and thrilling points, and which saw Kerber save five match points in the ninth game of the third set, "the match of the tournament." But it was also one more step in the long comeback of Azarenka, a two-time US Open finalist (2012, 2013).

"It's probably the most you can miss when you're an athlete, not just a tennis player," said Azarenka, whose series of foot and knee injuries essentially took her out of the top 50 and largely off the tour in 2014. "That intensity, that feeling of the battle, you know, heat of the moment. I don't know, personally that's what I live for."

The loud and supportive atmosphere of Saturday's match, she said, made it that much more special.

"Amazing. Absolutely amazing," Azarenka said. "It's a little bit difficult to describe with words because it's a mixed feeling of adrenaline and then I want to just stay out there as long as possible, but also you want to win and get out of there.

"I don't ever want to take it for granted that I go on Arthur Ashe Stadium and I play no matter which round it is. It's just that feeling of competition, making yourself better, to improve, you know, really hustle, battle. Whatever it takes, it's my home. I feel at home when I'm in that moment."