By Elena Scuro
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Photo Credit: Mark Peterson / Corleve
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(January 24, 2012) Victoria Azarenka is a feisty Belarusian who barreled her way through the Australian Open draw to reach the semifinals, matching her best result at a Grand Slam. She’ll take on defending champion Kim Clijsters in the match of her life to try and reach her first Slam final.
She’s one of the most passionate players on court, but what about off court? Here are some things you may not know about Vika (her nickname) that we’ve learned over the years and some things that we’ve recently learned during her time in Melbourne:
1. She’s cranky without coffee: After her first-round Australian open win, she told the press “I didn't get my coffee in the morning today, so I was really pissed off (laughter)… It was so early and I wanted to come play a little bit longer on center court. Everything was closed. I said, Oh, my God, I need my coffee.”
2. She hears the crowd when they mimic her grunt: It’s no secret Azarenka has one of the loudest grunts on the Tour. Some spectators aren’t bothered by it while others make fun of her during matches, mimicking the noises she makes during changeovers. Does she hear it? “Of course I hear it. I mean, I'm not deaf (laughter),” she said. “But it's fine for me. I mean, the crowd, I respect the crowd, whatever they do. I try to just be focused on my game, and that's it.”
3. She warms up with music: Before a match, you can usually find Azarenka doing her warm-ups in the hallway with her jacket hood up, headphones on and music blasting. She’s said she likes to listen to Mary J. Blige and has recently been listening to “Lose Control” by Keri Hilson and Nelly before she plays.
4. She loves to dance: During an exhibition with Gael Monfils, Azarenka learned some new dance moves from the Frenchman. “We had few parties. He was dancing,” she said. “He was teaching me a few moves, like a Dougie and the Jerk and other things, like freestyle.”
5. She’s Friends with Anna Kournikova: Azarenka said she used to watch Kournikova a lot when she was growing up and starting on the Tour. “She's a very sweet person,” she said. “She's a good friend of mine. I met her a few times in Miami because she lives there.” Azarenka said she also keeps in touch and hopes to see Kournikova soon in Miami during the Sony Ericsson Open.
6. Roger Federer is her Idol: Azarenka claims Roger Federer is her idol and admires him for his work ethic and professionalism.
7. Teddy Bears: In an “Inside the life of Victoria Azarenka” video by Wilson Tennis, shot in Melbourne, Vika told us she’s a big fan of teddy bears and recently started a new collection.
8. Growing up grunting: Azarenka revealed that her signature grunt didn’t happen overnight and it’s not something she does because she feels like it. “As a child I was really weak, so I had to give that little extra power there,” she said. “It kind of stuck with me, so that’s it.”
9. Tweeting with Vika: On Twitter, Azarenka follows a wide variety of people. She follows fellow tennis players (such as Iveta Benesova, Rafael Nadal, Mardy Fish and Julia Georges), other athletes (such as Dwight Howard, Rory McIlroy and Cristiano Ronaldo), singers and actors (such as Rihanna, Ashton Kutcher, Ellen Degeneres and Chelsea Handler) and also follows the Dalai Lama (yes, he is on Twitter).
10. Sorry boys, she’s not single: Azarenka’s boyfriend is Sergei Bubka, son of famous pole vaulter Sergey Bubka, and also a tennis player on the ATP Tour.