Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka made it back to the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park for the first time since 2016 by beating Zhu Lin 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in a match that began late Sunday night and ended at nearly 2:20 a.m. on Monday.
“I really focused on staying patient, staying focused on myself,” said the 33-year-old Azarenka, who won the title in Australia in 2012 and 2013, “because it was very, very easy to just lose that patience, lose control, because it was very tough out there.”
But the 24th-seeded Azarenka grabbed the final three games. She held, then broke to go up 5-4 when Zhu put a forehand into the net. “It was a bit frustrating for me, I’m not going to lie. I probably didn’t show it, but I was a bit upset because, ‘When is it going to turn my way?’" Azarenka said. "At one point, I had to tell myself a little bit to stop thinking what she’s doing, really focus on myself: ‘What I can do, control? I can’t control her making winners. I can’t control her hitting lines or playing amazing tennis. I can play a part in not letting her play such a good tennis.
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