“Damaging Mentally and Physically”: Victoria Azarenka Reveals Negative Impact of Quarantines

Victoria Azarenka is having an incredible run at the Indian Wells. Fighting from all the odds, the two-time Grand Slam champion has advanced in the most important match of the competition. Azarenka will be facing Paula Badola in the finals of the Indian Wells Masters tournament.

Following her semi-finals victory against Jelena Ostapenko, the Belarusian described her experience of living in the quarantine. She said that being off-air wasn’t helpful at all. Moreover, she confessed that the quarantine was both mentally and physically frustrating.

Victoria Azarenka talks about her quarantine period

With the COVID-19 outbreak across the world, the protocols for athletes have become more rigorous. For all tennis professionals, the quarantine period has become necessary. In the press conference after her semi-finals, Victoria Azarenka reflected on the hurdles she faced in these difficult times.

She started by saying,” The quarantine experience definitely not helping in no way. There is no possible way that quarantine in any way has helped me. It only was really damaging. There’s no other way to put it. It was damaging mentally, the end of it, it was damaging physically the most for me. I’ve never stopped for two weeks not doing anything, being off the air, so in no way that was helpful.”

Though she has advanced in the finals, the quarantine period was very painful for her, both mentally and physically.

Furthermore, she added, “I will say that everything after that how I approached was a learning experience, it was, ‘okay, am I gonna dwell on that or am I gonna try to figure out?’

“And it took time. It took a lot of patience, I felt at some point I was really discouraged, but I’m the type of person who will never give up no matter the situation is, so I always knew I’m gonna keep fighting but that sometimes it just it doesn’t feel good, it doesn’t.”

Azarenka to face Paula Badosa in the finals of Indian Wells

After getting past players like Petra Kvitova, Jelena Ostapenko, and Jessica Pegula, Azarenka has finally made her way through the finals. In the most anticipated match of the competition, Azarenka will face Paula Badosa of Spain.

This will be the first WTA 1000 Masters finals of Paula Badosa. Having clinched this year’s Serbia Open title already, Badosa looks optimistic ahead of her finals at Indian Wells. On the other hand, Azarenka has been impressive throughout the season despite having an average 2021 season.

What is your take on the finals of Indian Wells Masters?

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