Victoria Azarenka pumped up for Jessica Pegula clash at Australian Open - ‘I’m going to give her hell!’

ByNigel Chiu

Published 22/01/2023 at 16:54 GMT

Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka says she will give Jessica Pegula hell after battling through to the quarter-finals. Azarenka came back from a set down to beat Lin Zhu 4-6 6-1 6-4 in the early hours of Monday morning in Melbourne but is ready to give it everything against Pegula. Eurosport expert Laura Robson believes the late finish will hinder Azarenka.

Victoria Azarenka is pumped up to face Jessica Pegula, stating she will “give her hell” when they meet in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

Azarenka fought hard to overcome China’s Lin Zhu after losing the first set to win 4-6 6-1 6-4 in a match that finished at 02:15 local time in Melbourne.

Meanwhile, Pegula is the highest seed left in the women’s draw following surprise exits for Iga Swiatek and Coco Cauff on Sunday.

WTA Miami

Rybakina survives mid-match wobble against Azarenka to reach Miami final

28/03/2024 at 22:06

Pegula and Azarenka have played each other four times, with two wins each.

“Me and Jess, we’ve practiced together, we've played so many great matches together so I’m going to enjoy that one,” said Azarenka.

“If I do lose I’d rather lose to Jess but I’m going to give her hell for sure!”

‘I’m going to give her hell!’ – Azarenka pumped up for Pegula clash

Apart from the 2020 US Open final, Azarenka has not played in the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam since 2016.

In that time, she has had a child, faced several injuries and off-court problems have also impacted her game.

However, she’s slowly been returning to good form and has continued her great performances from the end of 2022 into the Australian Open.

• ‘A big win’ – World No. 1 Swiatek knocked out by Rybakina in huge upset
• ‘It was rough’ – tearful Gauff reacts to shock defeat to Ostapenko at Aus Open

Eurosport expert Laura Robson feels one hindrance the 33-year-old will have against Pegula is that her win over Zhu finished seven hours after the American’s fourth round match on Sunday.

“It gives her [Pegula] a big advantage for sure but it might give Vika [Azarenka] that feeling that she’s got, even though she’s won here twice, she’s got nothing to lose against Jessica Pegula,” Robson said on Eurosport’s Australian Open coverage.

“As Pegula is the form player, she hits the ball so hard and clean and it would help Vika that she’s got to practice with Pegula.

Azarenka beats Zhu with incredible passing shot to reach quarter-finals

“So Vika with the experience that she has and then also having practiced with Jessy, now with the time she might be like ‘oh I’m in the quarters, Jessy is too good, I’m going to relax’ because she needs to go for her shots a bit more against Jess.

“When you watch that, she wins this match because of experience, I felt she brought tennis back to where it was 10, 15 years ago but that’s tennis and she enjoys the fight of rallying and not hitting so hard but she’ll have to go up a level.”

- - -

Stream the 2023 Australian Open live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com.

WTA Miami

'It was a fight' - Azarenka powers past Putintseva in gruelling contest to reach semis

26/03/2024 at 23:04

WTA Miami

Garcia shocks Gauff to reach Miami Open quarter-finals, Boulter knocked out

25/03/2024 at 22:23

Tennis

‘It would be life-changing’ - Osaka backs Azarenka over calls for WTA maternity pay

13/03/2024 at 10:55