Azarenka - 'My son inspires me to be able to do what I love'
MONTRÉAL, Canada - For two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, giving birth to son Leo has proven easy compared to all that comes with trying to be the best mother - and top flight tennis player - she can be.
"It’s a tough struggle because it’s all about him," she said in press after defeating Kristina Mladenovic in straight sets at the Coupe Rogers on Tuesday. "I put myself second to be able to do that, and then trying to play on a high level isn’t easy. I train when he sleeps; if that’s 10PM or 6AM, that’s when it is, because I want to optimize my time with him.
"Taking that one extra hour to yourself to relax or go to the movies is a struggle because I remember what it’s like to have free time. Every second I have, I want to spend it with my son."
Azarenka returned to tennis last summer ahead of the Wimbledon Championships, but only began playing a fuller schedule in the spring, starting at the BNP Paribas Open. Speaking to a small group of journalists - one of whom related her own efforts as a working mom - the Belarusian spoke candidly about finding the balance between parent and athlete.
"I didn’t have a doubt that I would come back and play tennis, but I didn’t know when. I didn’t want to put pressure on myself about when to come back. Once I gave birth and knew how I felt, that’s when I decided when I would come back. I took that pressure off myself."
Thrice a champion at the Miami Open, the 29-year-old made it into the semifinals at the tournament's final staging in Crandon Park, but hasn't quite met her admittedly high standards since, suffering an acute back injury at the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic just last week in San Jose.
"As much as I’m happy to have and be with my son, it’s such a struggle to be able to manage your work and take those hours away from him. For me, it’s the biggest challenge. I don’t want to leave him for one minute. I’ve been struggling myself with realizing what it is that I like to do, that I enjoy. I’ve completely forgotten what that’s like.
"It is a different moment, and it’s very difficult for women when they become mothers. Your body changes, and so does your mind, and you have different priorities. For women, you become very secondary. That can be hard sometimes."
Azarenka has remained staunchly optimistic about her comeback, an attitude which appears to paid off in Montréal. Playing her first match in Québec in four years, she dropped just one game to Mladenovic, a former Top 10 player coming off a career-best 2017 season.
"I definitely have no doubt that I can be better and play better. You gain certain things you might not have had. Having a kid forces you to be organized, disciplined, patient. Those things are hard to master in an individual sport, so it forced me to have a different perspective, and how to handle different situations. I don’t think I would have been able to do that if I hadn’t had my son.
"Physically, I’m better than I’ve ever been; I’m in the best shape of my life, which is kind of interesting," she adds with a laugh. "He inspires me to be able to do what I love to do. My parenting is to be a good example, and to show him what it’s like to be hard-working, disciplined, determined, what it’s like to chase after your dreams, and what it’s like to be humble.
"I want to be all that, because I don’t want to be a hypocrite. It’s another motivation to go out of my comfortable zone and look at what I'm doing."
That comfort zone will face another test as she next faces former World No.4 Johanna Konta on Court Banque Nationale on Wednesday afternoon.
"We had a very good match [at the 2016 Miami Open]; we were both playing at a very high level. It was a couple years ago, but feels like forever ago."
