It all started with Wimbledon. On July 1, Azarenka withdrew from the Grand Slam tournament due to a shoulder injury. “I am absolutely devastated. I want to announce to all the fans that I will not be able to play at Wimbledon this year. I have a shoulder injury that is gradually getting worse. I did everything in my power to be ready to fight on the court, but unfortunately my body took on too much stress. After consulting with the medical staff, we decided that withdrawing from the tournament would be the best decision for my health. Due to the pain, I cannot move around the court as much as I need,” Azarenka said, without specifying when and where she suffered the injury.
What's happening with Victoria Azarenka? A disturbing series
Just three days later, the list of athletes who were to compete at the Olympic Games in Paris was announced. Azarenka was not there. No official reason was given. One could only assume that it was again a shoulder injury. But when the Games began, Azarenka played at the tournament in Washington, where she lost in the quarterfinals to Aryna Sabalenka.
In August she played in Toronto, but had to retire in the 1/8 finals with Peyton Stearns. An injury prevented her from playing in Cincinnati. She played in the US Open and played three matches, but also complained of a migraine.
September was no better. She entered the competition in Guadalajara, Mexico, but retired again, in her first match against Kamila Rakhimova. Then she withdrew from the tournament in Beijing. The reason? Unknown.
The 35-year-old Azarenka is a former WTA No. 1. She took the top spot for the first time on January 30, 2012. She was the world's No. 1 racket for a total of 51 weeks and is ranked 13th all-time. She has two Grand Slam tournament victories under her belt. She won the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013. She has played in the US Open final three times. She also reached the semifinals of Roland Garros (2013) and Wimbledon (2011, 2012). She has won 21 WTA tournaments. She is currently ranked 23rd.