Victoria Azarenka on Miami, Memorable Moments & More.
Updated: Mar 18
Miami Living recently engaged in a dialogue with Victoria Azarenka to explore her insights on Miami and beyond.
On Miami
“I know people say New York never sleeps, but Miami is right up there, never sleeping (laughs). It’s a huge cultural city. I feel like the energy there is just crazy with all the Latin vibes, music, and food. It’s a great city, an amazing city for sports with basketball, hockey, baseball, and tennis. It’s definitely an inspiring city where people love sports.
I travel around the world and I’ve experienced different kinds of fan bases, but the one in Miami is always festive. You just want to dance there all the time.”
Off the Court
“I love to eat, and the Miami food scene is definitely good. One of my friends, David Grutman, has many amazing restaurants that you can just pick any of them and you’ll have a good time. So food is always very special.
Also, I’m very much a homebody. I don’t necessarily love going out too much, but the city of Wellington, FL, is not too far from Miami where all the world’s horses are. It is something that I love a lot.”
Memorable Moments
“Winning there three times was obviously very, very memorable! And being able to play at the old tennis facility in Key Biscayne was special. Since we changed venues, the tournament has grown even bigger. So it has the potential to become even bigger. It’s an exciting time. It feels a bit different for sure, but definitely feels exciting.”
More on Azarenka
Victoria Azarenka, born on July 31, 1989, is a professional tennis player from Belarus. She reached the world No. 1 ranking in singles on January 30, 2012, holding it for 51 weeks and finishing the year as No. 1. Azarenka has won 21 WTA Tour singles titles, including two Australian Open titles in 2012 and 2013. She has also been a runner-up at the US Open twice and reached the final of the 2020 US Open.
Throughout her career, Azarenka has won numerous prestigious tournaments, including six Premier Mandatory and four Premier 5 tournaments. She also claimed the singles bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics and was the runner-up at the 2011 WTA Finals. Additionally, she consistently ranked in the top 10 singles players from 2009 to 2013.
In doubles, Azarenka has won 10 WTA Tour titles and reached four major finals. She also won three mixed doubles titles, including two majors and an Olympic gold medal in 2012.
Azarenka was born in Minsk, Belarus, and moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, at age 15 to pursue tennis training. She later became registered in Monaco but bought a house in Manhattan Beach, California, as her principal residence. Azarenka dated American musician Redfoo and has been open about her battle with depression during her injury-induced absence in 2014.
Azarenka has one son, Leonard, with former boyfriend Billy McKeague. Their custody battle led to Azarenka withdrawing from tournaments in 2017 until she returned to the tour in 2018. In March 2022, she expressed sadness and concern over the Russian invasion of Ukraine, given her Belarusian roots and the historically friendly relations between Belarusians and Ukrainians.
Victoria Azarenka Stats
Age: 34, Jul 31 1989
Birthplace: Minsk, Belarus
Career High: 1
Singles Titles: 21
Current Ranking: 33 (as of Feb 2024)
Miami Open Best: Winner 2009, 2011, 2016
Prize Money: $36,977,739
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