Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Victoria Azarenka

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Victoria Azarenka made an impact.

Victoria Azarenka is a Belarusian professional tennis player who achieved the world No. 1 ranking. She held the top position for 51 weeks and has won 21 WTA Tour-level singles titles. Her most significant achievements include winning the Australian Open in both 2012 and 2013, making her the first Belarusian player to secure a major singles title.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

November 2003: ITF Junior Circuit Debut

In November 2003, Victoria Azarenka debuted on the ITF Junior Circuit in Israel, winning one doubles title with Olga Govortsova.

2004: Continued ITF Tournaments

In 2004, Victoria Azarenka continued to participate in ITF tournaments, ending the season with a singles rank of 508 on the WTA Tour.

2004: Anastasia Myskina win

In 2006, Victoria Azarenka pushed 2004 French Open champion Anastasia Myskina to a third set in Rome.

2004: Svetlana Kuznetsova beats Azarenka

In 2007, at the US Open, after Victoria Azarenka upset Martina Hingis, Svetlana Kuznetsova beat her in the fourth round.

2005: Coached by António van Grichen

From 2005, Azarenka was coached by António van Grichen.

2005: Junior Grand Slam Wins and ITF World Champion

In 2005, Victoria Azarenka won two junior Grand Slams and was named the 2005 World Champion by the ITF. She reached her first semifinal on the main tour in Guangzhou, China.

2005: 2005 Junior Wimbledon win

In 2006, Victoria Azarenka lost in the first round of Wimbledon to 2005 Junior Wimbledon champion Agnieszka Radwańska.

February 2006: First Top-20 Win

In February 2006, Victoria Azarenka defeated her first top-20 player, Nicole Vaidišová, at Memphis.

2006: First Win over Myskina and US Open Result

In 2006, Victoria Azarenka had her first win over Anastasia Myskina at the US Open and reached the third round, her best Grand Slam result to that date. She also reached her second pro-level semifinal in Tashkent.

2006: Lowest Ranking Finish Since 2006

In 2014, Azarenka ended the year ranked world No. 32, her lowest finish since 2006, due to an injury-ridden season.

2007: US Open Mixed Doubles Title

In 2007, Victoria Azarenka won the US Open mixed doubles title with Max Mirnyi.

2007: Grand Slam Matches Tally

In 2010, Victoria Azarenka won only seven Grand Slam matches for the entire year, matching her 2007 tally.

July 2008: Career-High Doubles Ranking

On July 7, 2008, Victoria Azarenka reached a career-high ranking of No. 7 in the world in doubles.

April 2009: First Title Since April 2009

In 2010, Victoria Azarenka competed in the Bank of the West Classic. She won her first title since April 2009, defeating Maria Sharapova in the final.

2009: Cincinnati Title

In 2009, Azarenka won her first match at Cincinnati since 2009, defeating Vania King. She then defeated Serena Williams in the championship match to pick up her third title for the year.

2009: End of coaching by António van Grichen

In 2009, Azarenka's coaching partnership with António van Grichen ended.

2009: Year-End Top 10 Ranking

In 2009, Victoria Azarenka began a streak of year-end top 10 singles rankings, lasting until 2013.

2009: Wimbledon Quarterfinal Points

In 2010, Victoria Azarenka lost to Petra Kvitová in the third round of Wimbledon, dropping her to world No. 18 as she was defending quarterfinal points from 2009.

2010: Coached by Sam Sumyk

From 2010, Azarenka was coached by Sam Sumyk.

2010: Madrid Open Retirement and French Open Loss

In 2010, Victoria Azarenka retired from her first-round match at the Madrid Open due to injury and was defeated in the first round of the French Open.

2010: WTA Tour Championships Semifinals since 2010

In 2013, Azarenka experienced an unsuccessful Asian swing, losing early in Tokyo and Beijing. Her season concluded with a poor showing at the 2013 WTA Tour Championships, failing to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2010.

2011: First Double Bagel On Clay Since 2011

During the clay-court swing, Azarenka won against Sofia Kenin with the tenth double bagel in her career, and her first on clay since 2011.

2011: Acapulco International Event Since 2011

In 2011, Azarenka played her first 250-point International event since 2011 in Acapulco, Mexico. She withdrew after a first-round win over Polona Hercog.

2011: Australian Open and Fed Cup

In 2011, Victoria Azarenka lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open to Li Na. She and Maria Kirilenko also lost in the doubles final. She then competed in Fed Cup, where Belarus qualified for the World Group II play-Offs.

2011: US Open and China Open

In 2011, Victoria Azarenka reached the third round of the US Open, losing to Serena Williams. She reached a new career-high ranking of No. 3 in the world. She also qualified for the year-end championships in Istanbul. She then withdrew from the China Open due to a right foot strain.

2011: WTA Finals Runner-Up

In 2011, Victoria Azarenka was the runner-up at the WTA Finals, losing to Petra Kvitová.

January 2012: Australian Open Victory and World No. 1 Ranking

In January 2012, Victoria Azarenka won the Australian Open and became the world No. 1.

August 2012: London Olympics

In August 2012, Victoria Azarenka won a bronze medal in the women's singles and a gold medal in mixed doubles at the London Olympics. Azarenka got her first gold medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics on 5 August 2012 with Max Mirnyi for Belarus, defeating Andy Murray and Laura Robson of Great Britain in a tiebreak.

2012: Future Australian Open Win Mention

In 2005, Victoria Azarenka won the Australian Open Juniors, foreshadowing her future Australian Open wins in 2012 and 2013.

2012: Sponsored by Wilson

In 2012, Azarenka switched to Wilson racquets, using the Wilson Ultra 100 model, ending her sponsorship with Head.

2012: US Open Finalist

In 2012, Victoria Azarenka finished as runner-up to Serena Williams at the US Open.

2012: Successful 2012 Season

In 2012, Victoria Azarenka set a new record for single-season prize money, earning $7.9 million. She finished the season with a 69–10 win–loss record and secured six titles.

2012: Doha Title and Injury

In 2012, Victoria Azarenka won her third title of the year in Doha, defeating Sam Stosur in the final. She then withdrew from the Dubai Championships due to an ankle injury.

2012: Australian Open win

In 2012, Victoria Azarenka won the Australian Open, marking her first major singles title and a significant milestone in her career.

2012: Olympic Gold Medal in Mixed Doubles

In 2012, Victoria Azarenka won the Olympic gold medal in mixed doubles at the London Olympics with Max Mirnyi.

January 2013: Endorsement deal with Red Bull

In January 2013, Azarenka entered into an endorsement deal with Red Bull, becoming the first tennis player sponsored by the beverage giant.

August 2013: Ranked fourth highest paid female athlete

In August 2013, Forbes magazine named Azarenka the fourth highest-paid female athlete in the world, with total earnings of $15.7 million from 2012 to 2013.

2013: Grand Slam Final Since the 2013 US Open

At the 2016 US Open, Azarenka reached a Grand Slam final for the first time since the 2013 US Open, where she lost to Osaka.

2013: First Title Since the 2013 Western & Southern Open

Azarenka started her season at the Brisbane International in Australia. She reached the final after defeating Elena Vesnina, Ysaline Bonaventure, eighth seed Roberta Vinci and surprise qualifier Samantha Crawford. She faced fourth seed Angelique Kerber in the final and won the title without losing a set in the entire tournament. This was her 18th WTA title and her first since the 2013 Western & Southern Open.

2013: Future Australian Open Win Mention

In 2005, Victoria Azarenka won the Australian Open Juniors, foreshadowing her future Australian Open wins in 2012 and 2013.

2013: Unsuccessful Asian Swing and WTA Tour Championships in 2013

2013: US Open Finalist Again

In 2013, Victoria Azarenka was again runner-up to Serena Williams at the US Open.

2014: Injury-ridden 2014 Season

Azarenka's 2014 season was severely impacted by a foot injury, causing her to miss five months and end her season early in September. She only reached one final in Brisbane, losing to Serena Williams, and finished the year ranked world No. 32, her lowest since 2006.

2014: Citizen Watch released exclusive watch range

In 2014, Citizen Watch released an exclusive range of watches designed by Azarenka, marking a unique collaboration.

2015: Brisbane International and Australian Open in 2015

In 2015, Azarenka started the season at the Brisbane International, losing to Karolína Plíšková. She reached the fourth round at the Australian Open, losing to Dominika Cibulková.

2015: End of coaching by Sam Sumyk and coached by Wim Fissette

In 2015, Azarenka's coaching partnership with Sam Sumyk ended and she was coached by Wim Fissette.

2016: Wimbledon Performance in 2016

At Wimbledon 2016, Azarenka reached the fourth round in singles and lost in the first round in mixed doubles, marking her return to the sport after a break.

2016: Fourth Round at Australian Open in 2016

At the Australian Open 2016, Azarenka reached the fourth round which was her best result since 2016.

2016: First WTA Singles Title Since 2016 Miami Open

Azarenka won the 2016 Western & Southern Open, her first WTA singles title since the 2016 Miami Open, after Naomi Osaka withdrew from the final.

2016: End of Instaforex endorsement

Azarenka's endorsement deal with the investment company Instaforex ended in 2016, after having started in 2013.

2016: Grand Slam Quarterfinal Since 2016 Australian Open

In 2016, Azarenka reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since the 2016 Australian Open at the US Open.

2016: End of coaching by Wim Fissette

In 2016, Azarenka's coaching partnership with Wim Fissette ended as she became pregnant.

January 2017: Highest Ranking Since January 2017

After the 2016 US Open, Azarenka's ranking rose to No. 14, her highest ranking since January 2017.

2017: Coached by Michael Joyce

Upon her return from pregnancy in 2017, Azarenka was coached by Michael Joyce.

2017: Endorsement deal with Yonex

Upon her return to tennis after pregnancy in 2017, Azarenka signed an endorsement deal with Yonex for racquets, using the EZONE 100 racquet.

January 2018: Custody Battle Resolution and Return to Tennis in January 2018

In January 2018, Azarenka won her custody battle hearing and resumed her tennis career at the Indian Wells Open.

April 2018: Return to Tour

In April 2018, Victoria Azarenka returned to the tour, competing in Europe.

November 2018: Reunited with Wim Fissette

In November 2018, Azarenka reunited with coach Wim Fissette, marking a return to a previous coaching partnership.

2018: Switched back to Wilson Ultra 100

In 2018, Azarenka switched back to the Wilson Ultra 100 racquet, although she was not under contract with the company at the time.

December 2019: Fissette became Naomi Osaka's coach

In December 2019, Wim Fissette, Azarenka's coach, became Naomi Osaka's coach, ending their partnership.

February 2020: Dorian Descloix became new coach

In February 2020, Azarenka announced Dorian Descloix as her new coach, initiating a new coaching partnership.

2020: Endorsed by Wilson again

After her successful 2020 season, Azarenka became endorsed by Wilson once again.

2020: Monterrey Open and WTA Tour Suspension in 2020

In 2020, Azarenka played at the Monterrey Open, losing in the first round. She then withdrew from Indian Wells before the WTA Tour was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: US Open Finalist

In 2020, Victoria Azarenka reached the US Open final, finishing as runner-up to Naomi Osaka.

October 2021: Split from Dorian Descloix

In October 2021, Azarenka split from coach Dorian Descloix, choosing to work with Maxime Tchoutakian instead.

2021: Grampians Trophy Participation in 2021

In 2021, Azarenka participated in the Grampians Trophy, withdrawing before her quarterfinal match due to a lower back injury.

2021: Wimbledon and National Bank Open Performance in 2021

In 2021, at Wimbledon, Azarenka lost to Sorana Cîrstea in the second round, and she reached her first Masters WTA 1000 quarterfinal of the season at the National Bank Open in Canada.

2022: 2022 Season

During the 2022 season, Azarenka reached the round of 16 at the Madrid Open and Italian Open. She did not play any grass-court tournaments due to Wimbledon's ban on Russian and Belarusan players. She reached the semifinals at the Guadalajara Open.

2023: Semifinals of the 2023 Australian Open

In 2023, Azarenka reached the semifinals of the Australian Open after 10 years, moving up to world No. 16. She lost to Elena Rybakina in straight sets.

2023: Madrid Open Doubles Title in 2023

In 2023, Azarenka won her fifth WTA 1000 and tenth doubles title overall at the Mutua Madrid Open with Beatriz Haddad Maia.

2024: Fourth Round Australian Open 2024

At the Australian Open 2024, Azarenka reached the fourth round where she lost to Dayana Yastremska.

2024: Semifinal Miami Open 2024

Following a disappointing second round exit at Indian Wells, Azarenka fought back at the second half of the “Sunshine Double”, the WTA 1000 2024 Miami Open. Here she reached the semi-final, losing to Elena Rybakina.