Belarusian tennis ace Victoria Azarenka has won no fewer than nine titles in her career. She is a double Olympic medallist (mixed-doubles gold and singles bronze at London 2012) and a world singles number-one. During her first run of major success, she was ranked one of the top-ten singles players in the world for five years in a row. She is still competing at the highest level today and made the semifinals of the 2021 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, California — only two female players have won more games than her at the tournament.
Azarenka first came to prominence in her mid-teens. After winning her first junior doubles title in 2004, she won an astounding five major junior titles (two singles and two doubles) in 2005, including Junior Wimbledon. As a senior player, she quickly developed a reputation as a rising star, and by 2007, she was winning her first titles (notably the 2007 US Open and 2008 French Open). Despite many strong performances, however, she had to wait until 2012 to win her first singles title, which came when she beat Maria Sharapova in straight sets to win the Australian Open. Later that year, she finished a close runner-up in the US Open, losing in the final to Serena Williams. The following year, however, she won the Australian Open again. By this point, she was confirmed as one of the world’s strongest players.
The mid-2010s werew taken up with injury struggles and a break to start a family. She returned to playing in 2017, and over the next three years, fought her way back into the top 100, then the top 50, and finally, back into the top 15. Now back in fine form, she’s looking for her 10th title.