Controversy mars Azarenka's victory
Source: Agencies |
January 25, 2013, Friday
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Print Edition
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THE murky issue of cheating reared its ugly head at the Australian Open yesterday as world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka took a controversial timeout on the verge of her semifinal victory against American teenager Sloane Stephens.
Leading by a set and 5-4, the defending champion had just missed five match points when she took a 10-minute timeout, leaving her teenage opponent to sit and wait. When she returned, the Belarusian broke Stephens to clinch a 6-1, 6-4 victory and a place in the final.
As jeers rang out around Rod Laver Arena, Azarenka compounded matters by making a bizarre courtside speech. "I almost did the choke of the year," she said. "At 5-3 I had so many chances but I couldn't close it out. I felt a little bit overwhelmed that I was close to another final."
Azarenka told a press conference that she had required the timeout because of a "locked rib" that made it difficult to breathe.
"I had been struggling ... in the second set (with) my back," she said.
"And it just kept getting worse. I should have called the trainer a little bit earlier before (but) when I got to the point that I couldn't really breathe and had to go off court."
Stephens, who was playing in her first grand slam and shares an agent with Azarenka, refused to criticize the Belarusian.
"If it was one of my friends, I would say, 'Oh my God, that sounds like a P-P', which is a personal problem," Stephens said.
"Other than that, it's just unfortunate. I did lose the next game but I wouldn't say the medical timeout is why I lost the next game."
Leading by a set and 5-4, the defending champion had just missed five match points when she took a 10-minute timeout, leaving her teenage opponent to sit and wait. When she returned, the Belarusian broke Stephens to clinch a 6-1, 6-4 victory and a place in the final.
As jeers rang out around Rod Laver Arena, Azarenka compounded matters by making a bizarre courtside speech. "I almost did the choke of the year," she said. "At 5-3 I had so many chances but I couldn't close it out. I felt a little bit overwhelmed that I was close to another final."
Azarenka told a press conference that she had required the timeout because of a "locked rib" that made it difficult to breathe.
"I had been struggling ... in the second set (with) my back," she said.
"And it just kept getting worse. I should have called the trainer a little bit earlier before (but) when I got to the point that I couldn't really breathe and had to go off court."
Stephens, who was playing in her first grand slam and shares an agent with Azarenka, refused to criticize the Belarusian.
"If it was one of my friends, I would say, 'Oh my God, that sounds like a P-P', which is a personal problem," Stephens said.
"Other than that, it's just unfortunate. I did lose the next game but I wouldn't say the medical timeout is why I lost the next game."
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