Victoria Azarenka is aware of full properly she should forged friendship apart and bust the midnight curse to stay on observe for a 3rd Australian Open crown, a decade after going back-to-back.
The sleep-challenged star is promising to provide Jessica Pegula “hell” after reserving a quarter-final date along with her nice mate and third seed with a tension-filled three-set fourth-round win over Zhu Lin that stretched nearly three hours and completed at 2.20 on Monday morning.
“I feel so relieved. It was two hours, 40 (minutes) of complete pressure. Point by point, so many momentum shifts. There was everything in this match,” Azarenka mentioned.
“I’m just so happy I was able to manage. At the start of the year I had a couple of very close matches that didn’t turn my way so I’m very happy I took my chances.”
Now, although, the percentages are stacked in opposition to the 33-year-old tennis tremendous mum persevering with her gallant run at Melbourne Park.
No one has ever backed up after a 2am end to win their following singles match on the Open, not to mention in opposition to an in-form world No.3 like Pegula.
But Azarenka is joyful to provide it a shot.
“Me and Jess, we practise together, we’ve played so many great matches together,” the Belarusian former world No.1 mentioned.
“So I’m going to enjoy that one and, if I do lose, I’d rather lose to Jess. But I’m going to give her hell for sure.”
The twenty fourth seed might want to.
Pegula is the highest-ranked participant left within the draw, but to drop a set and driving an eight-match win streak that features a United Cup mauling of ousted world No.1 Iga Swiatek.
“I don’t really feel like a favourite because I’m going against people that have had more success than me,” the American modestly mentioned.
“I look at the draw and there’s still girls who have won the French Open, you have (Elena) Rybakina, who won Wimbledon last year, you have Vika (Azarenka) who does really well here.
“It looks like there’s nonetheless an extended methods to go, to be trustworthy.”
It took eventual champion Ash Barty to stop Pegula in the quarter-finals last year, and Azarenka faces the added challenge of trying to get some much-needed rest first on Monday.
“When you begin late and end late on the event, like I did (additionally) within the second spherical, you attempt to go away off the clock and alter on the go,” she said before hoping to hit the hay by 6am.
“And then masks on and sleep throughout the day.”
Whoever prevails will face Rybakina or revitalised former Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko in Thursday’s semi-finals.
