Azarenka displays support for son with shirt
VICTORIA the rules.
But her support of her son means more.
The two-time Australian Open winner was ousted from the tournament on Thursday night, denied a crack at another final by Elena Rybakina.
And she was also denied more than a few moments in the Paris Saint-german shirt that she wore onto Rod Laver Arena before the match – a tradition she has started given her son Leo’s passion for the club and his dream of playing for them one day.
“They told me to take it off
Azarenka knows twice because I had a different shirt,” Azarenka smiled.
“I think it’s the issue with the sponsorships. I guess the logos are too big. I mean, it’s not something they’ve done that is out of the ordinary. I know that I’m not allowed to play in that. I knew those type of things.
“But I can still step on the court in what I want to step on the court.
“I do it for my own reasons. My son wore the white jersey today to his practice, and I tried to wear a white jersey to my match, but couldn’t. So that’s OK.”
Azarenka admitted she was struggling to find the positives in her loss to Rybakina, saying “tennis-wise it just felt like I wasn’t there”.
But time will heal. “Time always is a good medicine I feel like,” she said.
“I don’t really dwell too long on things. I feel like I’m in the state of mind where I can be a little bit more objective.
“I think what helps me now is not to take it, I did something bad or I’m this or that. I don’t take it (personally). It’s just a day that my game didn’t win. I think that helps my mindset to not dwell on things like that too much.
“On the other hand, it also motivates you. OK, I want to go a step further.”