Azarenka

Azarenka Latest Teen Sensation to Make Splash on WTA Tour

At 18 years of age, Victoria Azarenka has her whole life ahead of her, but on the tennis court, the future is now for the Belarusian phenom.

Azarenka took the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour by storm in 2007 and has picked up right where she left off this season, reaching the final of her first event in Gold Coast, Australia a few weeks ago, a run which included a dominant straight sets win over World No. 17 Shahar Peer. Thanks to her early season prowess, Azarenka also reached a career high of No. 26 in the rankings and seems poised to grab headlines ¡°Down Under¡¯ yet again, this time in Melbourne, the site of the year¡¯s first Grand Slam.

¡°I am starting to gain more confidence and I truly feel that I belong in the Top 10, which is my goal for this year,¡± Azarenka proclaimed on her official website.

Having played on the professional circuit since she was fourteen, Azarenka has built a career resume that would make former teen superstars Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, Serena Williams and Martina Hingis proud.

After moving with her family to Scotsdale, Arizona in 2005 to focus on her tennis, Azarenka began turning heads at the junior level, capturing two Grand Slam singles titles that same year at the Australian and U.S. Opens to go along with three career Grand Slam doubles crowns. The native of Minsk, Belarus was named the 2005 ITF World Junior Girls¡¯ Champion in recognition of her stellar season.

It didn¡¯t take long for Azarenka to adjust to life as a pro having cracked the Top 100 for the first time in 2006, a campaign highlighted by a debut in the main draw of all four Grand Slam events including a third round finish at the U.S. Open. However, the 2007 season proved to be a real coming out party for Azarenka who secured her first two berths in Tour finals, scored victories over Russian powerhouses Sharapova and Nadia Petrova, took home the mixed doubles trophy with countryman Max Mirnyi in Flushing Meadows last September and also found time to launch her own website.

Nicknamed ¡°Vicka¡±, off the court, Azarenka resembles every bit your typical teenager. She enjoys spending time with friends (including all-star NHL goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin), is an avid fan of shopping, hip-hop, rap and R&B music.

Armed with penetrating ground strokes, unmistakable self-confidence and the luxury of playing a full slate of Sony Ericsson WTA Tour events for the first time having overcome 18 year-old age barrier, Azarenka is sure to be a thorn in the sides of the world¡¯s best in 2008, a group that, as Azarenka herself boldly predicted, she is destined to be a part of in the not too distant future