View source for Victoria Azarenka

{{Short description|Belarusian tennis player (born 1989)}}
{{family name hatnote|Fiodaraŭna|Azarenka|lang=Eastern Slavic}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox tennis biography
|name = Victoria Azarenka 
|image = Victoria Azarenka (2024 DC Open) 02 (cropped).jpg
|caption = Azarenka at the 2024 DC Open
|country = {{BLR}}
|residence = [[Boca Raton, Florida|Boca Raton]], Florida, United States
|fullname = 
|native_name = Вікторыя Азаранка
|native_name_lang = be
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|07|31|df=yes}}
|birth_place = [[Minsk]], Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union
|height = {{height|m=1.83}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Player profile – Victoria Azarenka|url=https://www.wtatennis.com/players/312001/victoria-azarenka|publisher=[[Women's Tennis Association]] (WTA)}}</ref>
|coach = None
|turnedpro = 2003
|plays = Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

|careerprizemoney = US $ 38,532,860
* [[WTA Tour records#WTA career prize money leaders|5th in all-time rankings]]
|singlesrecord = {{tennis record|won=635|lost=269}}
|singlestitles = 21
|highestsinglesranking = [[List of WTA number 1 ranked singles tennis players|No. '''1''']] (30 January 2012)
|currentsinglesranking = No. 76 (16 June 2025)

|AustralianOpenresult = '''W''' ([[2012 Australian Open – Women's singles|2012]], [[2013 Australian Open – Women's singles|2013]])
|FrenchOpenresult = SF ([[2013 French Open – Women's singles|2013]])
|Wimbledonresult = SF ([[2011 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles|2011]], [[2012 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles|2012]])
|USOpenresult = F ([[2012 US Open – Women's singles|2012]], [[2013 US Open – Women's singles|2013]], [[2020 US Open – Women's singles|2020]])
|Othertournaments = yes
|WTAChampionshipsresult = F ([[2011 WTA Tour Championships|2011]])
|Olympicsresult = Bronze ([[Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's singles|2012]])

|doublesrecord = {{tennis record|won=189|lost=75}}
|doublestitles = 10
|highestdoublesranking = No. 7 (7 July 2008)
|currentdoublesranking = No. 151 (16 June 2025)

|AustralianOpenDoublesresult = F ([[2008 Australian Open – Women's doubles|2008]], [[2011 Australian Open – Women's doubles|2011]])
|FrenchOpenDoublesresult = F ([[2009 French Open – Women's doubles|2009]])
|WimbledonDoublesresult = QF ([[2008 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|2008]])
|USOpenDoublesresult = F ([[2019 US Open – Women's doubles|2019]])
|Mixed = yes
|mixedtitles = 3
|mixedrecord =
|AustralianOpenMixedresult = F ([[2007 Australian Open – Mixed doubles|2007]])
|FrenchOpenMixedresult = '''W''' ([[2008 French Open – Mixed doubles|2008]])
|WimbledonMixedresult = F ([[2018 Wimbledon Championships – Mixed doubles|2018]])
|USOpenMixedresult = '''W''' ([[2007 US Open – Mixed doubles|2007]])
|OthertournamentsMixedDoubles = yes
|OlympicMixedDoublesresult = '''W''' ([[Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Mixed doubles|2012]])
|Team = yes
|FedCupresult = 21–5
|medaltemplates-expand= yes
|medaltemplates=
{{MedalCountry|{{BLR}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Tennis at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2012 Summer Olympics|2012 London]]|[[Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Mixed doubles|Mixed Doubles]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2012 Summer Olympics|2012 London]]|[[Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's singles|Singles]]}}
|updated = 16 June 2025
}}
[[File:36-2013-08-06-m1.jpg|thumb|Azarenka on a Belarusian postage stamp]]

'''Victoria Fiodaraŭna Azarenka'''{{efn|{{langx|be|Вікторыя Фёдараўна Азаранка|{{transliteration|be|bgn/pcgn|Viktoryya Fyodarawna Azaranka}}}}; {{langx|ru|Виктория Фёдоровна Азаренко|{{transliteration|ru|Viktoriya Fyodorovna Azarenko}}}}}} (born 31 July 1989) is a Belarusian professional [[tennis]] player. She has been ranked as the [[List of WTA number 1 ranked singles tennis players|world No. 1]] in women's singles by the [[Women's Tennis Association]] (WTA), having held the position for a total of 51 weeks (including as the year-end No. 1 in [[2012 WTA Tour|2012]]). Azarenka has won 21 [[WTA Tour]]-level singles titles, including two [[Grand Slam (tennis)#Tournaments|major]]s at the [[2012 Australian Open – Women's singles|2012]] and [[2013 Australian Open – Women's singles|2013 Australian Open]]s, becoming the first Belarusian to win a major singles title.

Azarenka is also a three-time major finalist at the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]], finishing runner-up to [[Serena Williams]] in both [[2012 US Open – Women's singles|2012]] and [[2013 US Open – Women's singles|2013]] and to [[Naomi Osaka]] in [[2020 US Open – Women's singles|2020]]. In singles, she has won six [[WTA Premier tournaments|Premier Mandatory]] tournaments (including the [[Sunshine Double]] in [[2016 WTA Tour|2016]]), four Premier 5 tournaments, and the singles [[Olympic medal|bronze medal]] at the [[Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's singles|2012 London Olympics]]. She was runner-up at the [[2011 WTA Tour Championships – Singles|2011 WTA Finals]] to [[Petra Kvitová]]. She finished with a year-end top 10 singles ranking from 2009 to 2013.

Azarenka has won 10 WTA Tour doubles titles (including one WTA 1000, two Premier Mandatory, and two Premier 5 titles), reached four major finals in women's doubles, and reached a career-high ranking of No. 7 in the world on 7 July 2008. She has won three mixed doubles titles — two major titles at the [[2007 US Open – Mixed doubles|2007 US Open]] with compatriot [[Max Mirnyi]] and the [[2008 French Open – Mixed doubles|2008 French Open]] with [[Bob Bryan]], and the Olympic gold medal in mixed doubles at the [[Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Mixed doubles|2012 London Olympics]] with Mirnyi.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/picturegalleries/9493284/Worlds-top-women-ready-for-US-Open-in-pictures.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/picturegalleries/9493284/Worlds-top-women-ready-for-US-Open-in-pictures.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=World's top women ready for US Open: in pictures|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=10 September 2012|location=London|date=24 August 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Timothy Rapp|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1311912-us-open-tennis-2012-breaking-down-the-hottest-storylines-at-flushing|title=US Open Tennis 2012: Breaking Down the Hottest Storylines at Flushing Meadows|date=27 August 2012|publisher=bleacherreport.com|access-date=10 September 2012|archive-date=1 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120901032920/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1311912-us-open-tennis-2012-breaking-down-the-hottest-storylines-at-flushing|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Rothenberg|first=Ben|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/07/sports/tennis/victoria-azarenka-has-sound-and-style-all-her-own.html|title=No. 1 With a Sound and Style All Her Own|date=6 September 2012|work=The New York Times|access-date=10 September 2012|archive-date=10 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130910212734/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/07/sports/tennis/victoria-azarenka-has-sound-and-style-all-her-own.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{TOC limit|2}}

==Personal life==
===Early life===
Azarenka was born in [[Minsk]], [[Byelorussian SSR]], Soviet Union to Alla and Fedor Azarenka. Her tennis idol is German former player [[Steffi Graf]]. In an interview, Azarenka said "Graf's Calendar Golden Slam in 1988 is my biggest motivation."<ref>[http://sports.163.com/12/0214/11/7Q7I84E200051CDG.html 阿扎伦卡欲效仿格拉芙 抵多哈表雄心期待金满贯] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814181604/http://sports.163.com/12/0214/11/7Q7I84E200051CDG.html |date=14 August 2016 }} Retrieved 2016-08-01</ref>

At age 15, Azarenka moved full-time to [[Scottsdale, Arizona]], United States, from Minsk, [[Belarus]], to train and live. In this she was aided by [[National Hockey League]] goalie [[Nikolai Khabibulin]] and his wife, who was a friend of Azarenka's mother.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rising Azarenka makes waves on tennis court|date=1 March 2010|url=http://www.azcentral.com/sports/azetc/articles/2009/03/10/20090310spt-azarenka.html|access-date=2 February 2012|work=The Arizona Republic|first=Andrew|last=Pentis}}</ref> In 2012, she became registered in Monaco, but in August 2013, she purchased a large ocean-overlooking house in Manhattan Beach, California as her principal residence.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2015/dirt/real-estalker/tennis-pro-victoria-azarenka-buys-manhattan-beach-house-1201517712/|title=Tennis star Victoria Azaranka buys a house in Los Angeles|last=David|first=Mark|date=11 June 2013|work=Variety|access-date=11 June 2013|archive-date=12 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612121933/http://variety.com/2015/dirt/real-estalker/tennis-pro-victoria-azarenka-buys-manhattan-beach-house-1201517712/|url-status=live}}</ref> Azarenka dated American musician [[Redfoo]] from late 2012 to early 2014. Azarenka has spoken about her experience of depression during her injury-induced absence from professional tennis in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2015/01/vika-azarenka-my-mind-i-skipped-whole-season/53554/#.VPJVq_msVp4 |title="Azarenka on 2014: 'In my mind, I skipped the whole season'" |access-date=28 February 2015 |archive-date=23 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170723145530/http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2015/01/vika-azarenka-my-mind-i-skipped-whole-season/53554/#.VPJVq_msVp4 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Custody battle===
Azarenka and former boyfriend Billy McKeague have one son, Leonard born in 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/25/sports/tennis/victoria-azarenka-return-pregnancy-serena-williams.html?mcubz=1|title = With Baby in Tow, Victoria Azarenka Returns to Tennis – and Her Roots|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 25 April 2017|last1 = Clarey|first1 = Christopher|access-date = 27 August 2017|archive-date = 27 August 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170827133310/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/25/sports/tennis/victoria-azarenka-return-pregnancy-serena-williams.html?mcubz=1|url-status = live}}</ref> Immediately after [[2017 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles|2017 Wimbledon]], they split and became involved in a custody battle for their son. Azarenka then withdrew from the remaining 2017 tournaments. In January 2018, Azarenka won an early round of the U.S. custody proceedings when a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled that the custody case of their U.S.-born son should not take place in Los Angeles, but in Belarus. In April 2018, Azarenka returned to the tour, competing in Europe.<ref>https://www.sport24.co.za/.../azarenka-back-in-europe-after-us-custody-battle-201804 {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.tmz.com/2018/01/15/victoria-azarenka-custody-war-tennis/?adid=TMZ_Search_Results|title=Tennis Star Victoria Azarenka Scores Huge Win in Nasty Custody War|date=January 15, 2018|work=TMZ|access-date=2018-03-11|archive-date=12 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312095324/http://www.tmz.com/2018/01/15/victoria-azarenka-custody-war-tennis/?adid=TMZ_Search_Results|url-status=live}}</ref> In December 2018, the California Courts of Appeal ruled that the LA County Superior Court had jurisdiction over the case, overturning the initial LA County Superior Court Belarus-jurisdiction decision.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metnews.com/articles/2018/azarenka121718.htm|title=Court of Appeal: Superior Court Has Jurisdiction Over Custody Despite Earlier Decree in Foreign Nation – Determination in Republic of Belarus That Child of Tennis Star Azarenka Is Resident There Must Be Disregarded Here, Under Opinion, Based on Lack of Service on Father|work=MetNews|date=18 December 2018|access-date=18 December 2018|archive-date=20 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220192535/http://www.metnews.com/articles/2018/azarenka121718.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://tennis.life/2018/12/20/azarenka-has-setback-in-l-a-courts/|title=Azarenka has setback in L.A. courts|author=Stephanie Myles|work=Tennis.Life|date=20 December 2018|access-date=20 December 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190103161310/https://tennis.life/2018/12/20/azarenka-has-setback-in-l-a-courts/|archive-date = 3 January 2019}}</ref>

===Ukraine invasion===
In March 2022, Azarenka released a statement on Twitter to state her heartbreak concerning the "actions that have taken place" (the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]], aided by her native Belarus), and "declare[d] her dismay and great sadness at the events" in Ukraine, saying: "I have always seen … Ukrainian and Belarusian people [and] nations … friendly and supportive of one another. It is hard to witness the violent separation that is currently taking place instead of supporting and finding compassion for each other."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gamble |first=Andrew |date=2022-03-03 |title=Belarusian star Azarenka speaks out amid country's role in Ukraine invasion |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/tennis/belarusian-tennis-star-victoria-azarenka-26380062 |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=mirror |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/tennis/top-stories/victoria-azarenka-devastated-by-violence-against-and-in-ukraine/articleshow/89959617.cms|title=Victoria Azarenka 'devastated' by violence 'against and in Ukraine' &#124; Tennis News a|website=The Times of India|date=3 March 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/sports/belarus-tennis-star-victoria-azarenka-devastated-by-violence-against-and-in-ukraine-4828997.html|title=Belarus Tennis Star Victoria Azarenka 'Devastated' by Violence 'Against and in Ukraine'|date=3 March 2022|website=News18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3174910/wimbledon-ban-russian-and-belarus-players-wake-ukraine-invasion|title=Wimbledon to ban Russian and Belarus players in the wake of Ukraine invasion|date=20 April 2022|website=South China Morning Post}}</ref>

==Tennis career==

===Early career===
Azarenka debuted on the [[ITF Junior Circuit]] in November 2003 in Israel, winning one doubles title with countrywoman [[Olga Govortsova]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itftennis.com/ProCircuit/players/player/profile.aspx?PlayerID=100034773|title=Victoria Azarenka – Doubles titles|access-date=29 February 2012|publisher=[[International Tennis Federation]]|archive-date=2 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602025644/http://www.itftennis.com/procircuit/players/player/profile.aspx?playerid=100034773|url-status=live}}</ref> At [[2004 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]], Azarenka reached the semifinals of the girls' competition, only to be defeated by eventual runner-up [[Ana Ivanovic]], despite having two match points in the marathon third set. She continued to participate in ITF tournaments in 2004, and at the end of the season she had a singles rank of 508 on the [[Women's Tennis Association|WTA Tour]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Victoria Azarenka ranking history|url=http://www.wtatennis.com/page/Player/Stats/0,,12781~11289,00.html|access-date=2 February 2012|publisher=Women's Tennis Association|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225221748/http://www.wtatennis.com/page/Player/Stats/0,,12781~11289,00.html|archive-date=25 February 2012}}</ref>

Azarenka had a successful year in 2005, winning two junior Grand Slams: the [[2005 Australian Open|Australian]] (she would eventually win the seniors' competition in [[2012 Australian Open|2012]] and [[2013 Australian Open|2013]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://beta.itftennis.com/media/108158/108158.pdf|title=Australian Open Junior Roll of Honour|access-date=24 February 2012|publisher=International Tennis Federation}} {{dead link|date=December 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and [[2005 US Open (tennis)|US]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://beta.itftennis.com/media/108161/108161.pdf|title=US Open Junior Roll of Honour|access-date=24 February 2012|publisher=International Tennis Federation}} {{dead link|date=December 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> championships. She ended the season as the junior world No. 1 and was named the 2005 World Champion by the ITF, becoming the first Belarusian to do so.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itftennis.com/juniors/rankings/world-champions.aspx|title=World Champions|access-date=2 February 2012|publisher=[[International Tennis Federation]]|archive-date=24 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324215742/http://www.itftennis.com/juniors/rankings/world-champions.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itftennis.com/juniors/rankings/year-end-rankings.aspx?yr=2005|title=Year-End Rankings|access-date=2 February 2012|publisher=International Tennis Federation|archive-date=29 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329234250/https://www.itftennis.com/juniors/rankings/year-end-rankings.aspx?yr=2005|url-status=live}}</ref> In addition, she reached her first semifinal on the main tour in [[Guangzhou]], China. She went from the qualifying draw of the tournament to the main draw, where she defeated [[Martina Suchá]] and [[Peng Shuai]], before losing to the eventual champion [[Yan Zi (tennis)|Yan Zi]].

'''Junior Slam results:'''
*Australian Open: '''W''' ([[2005 Australian Open#Girls' Singles|2005]])
*French Open: –
*Wimbledon: SF ([[2004 Wimbledon Championships#Girls' Singles|2004]], [[2005 Wimbledon Championships – Girls' singles|2005]])
*US Open: '''W''' ([[2005 US Open (tennis)#Girls' Singles|2005]])

===2006: US Open third round===
In February 2006 in Memphis, Azarenka defeated her first top-20 player, [[Nicole Vaidišová]],<ref>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.espn.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=2338827|title=Roddick beats Fish in match with one service break|date=22 February 2006|publisher=ESPN|access-date=10 September 2012|archive-date=14 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160114035428/http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=2338827|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Greg Stutchbury, John O'Brien|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tennis-open-azarenka-idUSTRE80R0AL20120128|title=Factbox: Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka|date=28 January 2012|work=Reuters|access-date=10 September 2012|archive-date=14 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160114035431/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-tennis-open-azarenka-idUSTRE80R0AL20120128|url-status=live}}</ref> and defeated her second top-30 player in [[Jelena Janković]] at Miami that same year.<ref>{{cite news|last=Garber|first=Greg|url=https://www.espn.com/sports/tennis/usopen06/news/story?id=2574161|title=Low points helped Jankovic reach semis|date=6 September 2006|publisher=ESPN|access-date=10 September 2012|archive-date=14 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160114035428/http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/usopen06/news/story?id=2574161|url-status=live}}</ref> On clay, Azarenka pushed 2004 French Open champion [[Anastasia Myskina]] to a third set in Rome, and took clay-court specialist [[Anabel Medina Garrigues]] to 9–7 in the third set in the first round at Roland Garros. At the [[2006 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles|2006 Wimbledon Championships]] Azarenka lost in first round to 2005 Junior Wimbledon and 2006 Junior French Open Champion and Wildcard [[Agnieszka Radwańska]].

At the [[2006 US Open (tennis)|2006 US Open]], she had her first win over Myskina in the first round, and lost to [[Anna Chakvetadze]] in the third round, her best result in a Grand Slam event to that date. In her next tournament, Azarenka reached her second pro-level semifinal in Tashkent, losing to [[Sun Tiantian]]. She finished the year reaching the final of an ITF event in Pittsburgh, losing to Canadian [[Aleksandra Wozniak]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aFkwyOIHsr8C&q=Aleksandra+Wozniak+jewish&pg=PA317|title=Day by day in Jewish sports history|first=Bob|last=Wechsler|year=2008|page=317|publisher=KTAV Publishing House |isbn=9780881259698|quote=November 12, 2006 Victoria Azarenka retires after losing first set by 6–2.|access-date=16 August 2011}}</ref>

===2007: First WTA final===
Ranked world No. 96, Azarenka began the year by playing two tournaments in Australia. She lost in the second round of qualifying at the [[Moorilla Hobart International]]. At the Australian Open, Azarenka reached the third round of a [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] singles tournament for the second consecutive time, where she lost to world No. 11 Jelena Janković in straight sets.

She was upset in the first round of the French Open by [[Karin Knapp]] of Italy, and at [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]], she lost in the third round to 14th-seeded Nicole Vaidišová.

At the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]], Azarenka upset former world No. 1 [[Martina Hingis]] in the third round, before [[2004 US Open (tennis)|2004 US Open]] champion [[Svetlana Kuznetsova]] beat her in the fourth round. In mixed doubles, Azarenka and countryman [[Max Mirnyi]] won the title, defeating [[Meghann Shaughnessy]] and [[Leander Paes]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Mirnyi and Azarenka capture US Open mixed doubles title|date=6 September 2007|url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iekpuSfYgtfZ8T8FlhsBaVNKRRgQ|access-date=29 June 2011|publisher=APF.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609092458/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iekpuSfYgtfZ8T8FlhsBaVNKRRgQ|archive-date=9 June 2007}}</ref>

She ended her year at the Tier I [[Kremlin Cup]] in Moscow, where she defeated world No. 4, [[Maria Sharapova]], in the second round, in their first meeting.<ref name="2007Kremlin2">[http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/10/10/sports/10ten.php "Tennis, Kremlin Cup: Kuznetsova advances, Sharapova, Mauresmo, Bartoli upset at Kremlin Cup"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012045124/http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/10/10/sports/10ten.php |date=12 October 2007 }}. ''The New York Times'' (10 October 2007). Retrieved 29 June 2011.</ref> She then lost to the eventual winner of the tournament, world No. 14 [[Elena Dementieva]], in the quarterfinal. At the same tournament, Azarenka and her doubles partner [[Tatiana Poutchek]], also of Belarus, lost in the final to the world No. 3 team of [[Liezel Huber]] and [[Cara Black]], in three sets. Azarenka's results at the Kremlin Cup elevated her rankings to career highs of world No. 27 in singles and world No. 29 in doubles.

===2008: Australian Open final in doubles===
Azarenka began the year at the [[2008 Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts|Australian Women's Hardcourts]] tournament in Gold Coast. Unseeded, she reached the semifinals, where she beat fifth-seeded [[Shahar Pe'er]] of Israel, Azarenka's sixth top-20 victory. In her third career WTA Tour final, she lost to [[Li Na]], but the points she earned in this tournament were enough to improve her ranking to a career-best world No. 25.

[[File:V Azarenka wim08 1.JPG|thumb|left|Azarenka at [[2008 Wimbledon]]]]
Azarenka was seeded 26th at the Australian Open. This was her first appearance as a seeded player in a Grand Slam singles tournament. She showed no ill effects from a leg injury while winning her first two matches, but lost in the third round to seventh-seeded, defending champion and future rival [[Serena Williams]]. In doubles, Azarenka and her partner Pe'er were seeded 12th. They made it to the finals, before losing to the unseeded team of [[Kateryna Bondarenko|Kateryna]] and [[Alona Bondarenko]].

Azarenka entered the [[2008 French Open|French Open]] as the form player of the clay court season, having reached the semifinals in Berlin and the quarterfinals in Rome. Seeded 16th, she won her first three matches in straight sets, for the loss of only six games. In the second round, she defeated [[Sorana Cîrstea]] of Romania, before defeating 18th-seeded and future French Open champion [[Francesca Schiavone]] of Italy in the third round.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/7429004.stm|title=Sharapova through to round four|publisher=BBC News|date=31 May 2008|access-date=21 October 2012|archive-date=20 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220192118/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/7429004.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> She then lost to fourth-seeded Kuznetsova in the fourth round. Azarenka teamed with American [[Bob Bryan]] to win the mixed doubles title at the French Open, defeating the top seeded team of [[Katarina Srebotnik]] and [[Nenad Zimonjić]] in the final.

At Wimbledon, Azarenka was seeded 16th in singles and 6th in doubles (with Pe'er). In singles, Azarenka was defeated by 21st-seeded [[Nadia Petrova]] of Russia in the third round in two close tiebreaks. In doubles, Azarenka and Pe'er reached the quarterfinals, where they lost to the top-seeded team of Cara Black and Liezel Huber. At the [[Tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Olympic tennis tournament in Beijing]], Azarenka lost to [[Venus Williams]] in the third round. Azarenka was seeded 14th at the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]], but was defeated by 21st seed [[Caroline Wozniacki]] in the third round.

===2009: Three titles, top 10, major doubles final===
Azarenka began the year at the [[Brisbane International]] as the second seed. She defeated Kateryna Bondarenko, [[Jarmila Groth]], [[Lucie Šafářová]], and [[Sara Errani]], all in straight sets to reach her fifth career final. In the final, Azarenka defeated third seed [[Marion Bartoli]] to win her first WTA career title. Azarenka was seeded 13th at the [[2009 Australian Open|Australian Open]]. She advanced to the fourth round for the first time, winning the first set against world No. 2 Serena Williams, before she retired citing heat stress.

[[File:Azarenka Roland Garros 2009 2.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Azarenka competing at the 2009 French Open]]
At the [[2009 Cellular South Cup – Singles|Cellular South Cup]] in Memphis, Azarenka was seeded second. She won her second WTA title by beating her doubles partner and top seeded Caroline Wozniacki in the final. Afterwards, Wozniacki and Azarenka won the doubles title, beating [[Michaëlla Krajicek]] and [[Yuliana Fedak]] in the final. At the [[2009 BNP Paribas Open|BNP Paribas Open]], Azarenka was seeded eighth and reached the semifinals, where she lost to her doubles partner and eventual champion [[Vera Zvonareva]]. Because of her performance at this tournament, Azarenka improved her singles ranking to a career-best world No. 10.<ref name="WTA top 10 announcement">[http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/1/newsroom/stories/?ContentID=3089 Azarenka primed for Top 10] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090323030654/http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/1/newsroom/stories/?ContentID=3089 |date=23 March 2009 }}. Sonyericssonwtatour.com. Retrieved 29 June 2011.</ref> She was the second woman from Belarus ever to be ranked that high, following [[Natasha Zvereva]] who was ranked world No. 5 in the late 1980s.<ref name="WTA top 10 announcement"/> At the [[2009 Sony Ericsson Open|Sony Ericsson Open]] in [[Key Biscayne, Florida]], Azarenka was seeded 11th. She defeated world No. 1 and two-time defending champion, Serena Williams, in the final in straight sets. This was Azarenka's first [[Tier I]] or [[WTA Premier tournaments|Premier Mandatory]] event title. Azarenka also became the sixth teenage female singles champion in the history of this tournament, with the others being Steffi Graf, [[Monica Seles]], Martina Hingis, Venus Williams, and [[Gabriela Sabatini]].<ref>[http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-tennis-serena-williams-sony-040409,0,3701265.story Victoria Azarenka wins Sony title against gimpy Serena Williams] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409140130/http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-tennis-serena-williams-sony-040409,0,3701265.story|date=9 April 2009 }}. Sun-sentinel.com. Retrieved 29 June 2011.</ref> By winning this tournament, Azarenka's ranking increased to a new career high of world No. 8.

Her next tournament was on [[clay court|clay]] at the [[2009 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix|Porsche Grand Prix]] in [[Stuttgart]], Germany, where she lost to [[Gisela Dulko]] in the second round. At the [[Rome Masters|Italian Open]], Azarenka lost to Svetlana Kuznetsova in the semifinals. At [[French Open|Roland Garros]], Azarenka was seeded ninth. She ousted defending champion Ana Ivanovic in the fourth round, and advanced to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, where she fell to top seed [[Dinara Safina]] in three sets. With her partner [[Elena Vesnina]], Azarenka made the final of the ladies doubles at Roland Garros. In the final, they lost to the Spanish pairing of Garrigues and Ruano Pascual. She withdrew from her first match at the [[Aegon International]], the warm-up for [[2009 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]], citing a hip injury. Azarenka was seeded eighth at Wimbledon. She fell to second seed and eventual winner Serena Williams in the quarterfinals.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/8127310.stm|title=Rampant Serena crushes Azarenka|date=30 June 2009|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=30 June 2009|first=Caroline|last=Cheese|archive-date=17 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120417181703/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/8127310.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Receiving a bye in the first round at the [[2009 LA Women's Tennis Championships – Singles|Los Angeles]], Azarenka fell to Maria Sharapova. In [[2009 Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open – Singles|Cincinnati]], Azarenka lost to Jelena Janković in the third round, committing 11 double faults. At the [[2009 Rogers Cup|Rogers Cup]] in Toronto, she was seeded ninth. She lost to returning [[Kim Clijsters]] in the second round. At the [[2009 US Open – Women's singles|US Open]], Azarenka was seeded eighth. She fell to Francesca Schiavone in the third round. Seeded eighth at the [[2009 Toray Pan Pacific Open – Singles|Pan Pacific Open]] in Tokyo, she lost to Li Na in the quarterfinals, in a third set tiebreak, giving up a 5–1 lead in the first set. In her next tournament the [[China Open (tennis)|China Open]], Azarenka was seeded ninth. She lost in the second round to recent [[2009 Toray Pan Pacific Open – Singles|Tokyo]] champion Maria Sharapova, while serving for the match twice. She intended to play the [[2009 Kremlin Cup|Kremlin Cup]] in Moscow, but she withdrew. At the year-end [[2009 WTA Tour Championships|Sony Ericsson Championships]] in [[Doha]], Azarenka vanquished Jelena Janković in her first-round robin-match.<ref>{{cite news|title=Doha Drama – Azarenka beats Jankovic|date=27 October 2007|url=http://blogs.montrealgazette.com/2009/10/27/doha-drama-azarenka-beats-jankovic|access-date=2 February 2012|work=The Gazette|location=Montreal|archive-date=7 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107014656/http://blogs.montrealgazette.com/2009/10/27/doha-drama-azarenka-beats-jankovic/|url-status=live}}</ref> In her second match, however, Azarenka was defeated by Caroline Wozniacki. Azarenka failed to convert a match point in the final set in which she led by a break on four occasions. Azarenka also conceded her serve at 5–5, to leave Wozniacki serving for the match after receiving a point penalty for racket abuse. Due to her loss to Wozniacki, Azarenka had to defeat second alternate Agnieszka Radwańska to qualify for the semifinals. She led with a double break, before going on to lose nine of the next ten games, eventually conceding the match and retiring while trailing in the third set, citing severe cramping.<ref>{{cite news|title=VWilliams, Jankovic, Wozniacki reach WTA semis|date=30 October 2009|url=http://www.newsday.com/sports/tennis/vwilliams-jankovic-wozniacki-reach-wta-semis-1.1560723|access-date=2 February 2012|work=Newsday}}</ref>

Azarenka ended the year ranked world No. 7, with a 45–15 win–loss record, having won three titles and qualified for the year-end championships for the first time in her career.

===2010: Steady ranking===
Azarenka began the season at the [[Hong Kong Tennis Classic]] exhibition. She was part of Team Europe, along with Caroline Wozniacki and [[Stefan Edberg]]. In her first match, she defeated Gisela Dulko. The match was played best of one set due to rain. She withdrew from her remaining matches due to illness. She was seeded sixth at the [[2010 Medibank International Sydney – Women's singles|Medibank International]]. She won her first three matches but in the semifinals, she fell to fifth seed Elena Dementieva.

At the [[2010 Australian Open – Women's singles|Australian Open]], she was seeded seventh. In the fourth round against ninth seed Vera Zvonareva she rallied to win, but lost to Serena Williams in the quarterfinal. Azarenka was up a set and four games before Williams came back to win in three sets.<ref>{{cite news|title=Australian Open 2010: Serena Williams fights back to claim place in semi-finals|date=27 January 2010|url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/australianopen/7081130/Australian-Open-2010-Serena-Williams-fights-back-to-claim-place-in-semi-finals.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/australianopen/7081130/Australian-Open-2010-Serena-Williams-fights-back-to-claim-place-in-semi-finals.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=21 September 2013|work=TheTelegraph|location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref> This was the third consecutive year she has lost to Williams at this tournament. Seeded fourth at the [[2010 Dubai Tennis Championships – Women's singles|Dubai Tennis Championships]], on her way to the final, she defeated Vera Zvonareva in the quarterfinals and Agnieszka Radwańska in the semifinals. In the final, she lost to defending champion Venus Williams. At the [[2010 BNP Paribas Open|BNP Paribas Open]], she was seeded third, but was upset in the third round by [[María José Martínez Sánchez]]. At the [[2010 Sony Ericsson Open|Sony Ericsson Open]], where she was the defending champion and fourth seed, she lost in fourth round to 14th seed and eventual champion Kim Clijsters. This was the fourth match in the five tournaments this year that Azarenka lost to eventual champions.

At the [[Andalucia Tennis Experience]], she was the top seed but retired in her quarterfinal match against María José Martínez Sánchez, citing a left thigh injury.

Seeded third at the [[2010 Family Circle Cup|Family Circle Cup]], she retired from her first match while leading against qualifier [[Christina McHale]]. At the [[2010 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix|Porsche Grand Prix]], she was upset in the second round by qualifier [[Anna Lapushchenkova]], who was ranked No. 138 at the time. At the [[2010 Internazionali BNL d'Italia|Italian Open]], as the ninth seed, Azarenka was defeated by Ana Ivanovic.

As the tenth seed at the [[2010 Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open|Madrid Open]], Azarenka retired from her first round match against Peng Shuai citing a groin injury. At the [[2010 French Open]], Azarenka was defeated in the first round by unseeded Gisela Dulko. As she reached the quarterfinals in 2009, this loss caused Azarenka to drop to world No. 15. Azarenka was unseeded at the [[2010 Aegon International|Aegon International]]. Azarenka fell to qualifier [[Ekaterina Makarova]] in the final.

[[File:Victoria Azarenka at the 2010 US Open 01.jpg|thumb|left|Azarenka at the 2010 US Open]]
Azarenka was seeded 14th at [[2010 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]]. She lost to eventual semifinalist Petra Kvitová in the third round. The defeat dropped Azarenka to world No. 18, as she was defending quarterfinal points from 2009.

{{quote box|quote=I don't know. I just don't like to look for excuses, you know, the lights, the fans, I don't know everything. To me, I'm just very disappointed with the way I played.|source=–Victoria Azarenka after her first round loss to Ana Ivanovic in Cincinnati.<ref name="Cincinnati2010"/>|width=21%|align=right}}

To begin the summer hard-court season, Azarenka competed in the [[2010 Bank of the West Classic|Bank of the West Classic]] as a wild card and eighth seed. Azarenka defeated Maria Sharapova in the final, after defeating top seed [[Samantha Stosur]] in the semifinals, to win her first title since April 2009. The win propelled Azarenka to world No. 12. Despite being the favourite to win the [[Mercury Insurance Open]], Azarenka withdrew to recover from a right shoulder injury.

Seeded ninth at the [[Western & Southern Financial Group Masters and Women's Open|Western & Southern Open]], Azarenka was stunned in the first round by world No. 62, Ana Ivanovic, despite serving for the match twice in the second set, and being within two points of victory on Ivanovic's serve;<ref name="Cincinnati2010">{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-08-10/ivanovic-turns-back-clock-in-cincinnati/939386|title=Ivanovic turns back clock in Cincinnati|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=10 August 2010|access-date=16 September 2012|archive-date=28 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131028215138/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-08-10/ivanovic-turns-back-clock-in-cincinnati/939386|url-status=live}}</ref> it was Azarenka's second defeat by Ivanovic in 2010. However, she won the doubles title, partnering with [[Maria Kirilenko]], defeating [[Lisa Raymond]] and [[Rennae Stubbs]]. 1 September 2010, daytime, at the [[2010 US Open (tennis)|US Open]], losing 0–4 during her second round against Gisela Dulko, Azarenka collapsed on the court. There were concerns that the cause of the fall was heat-related. Azarenka was taken to a local hospital for treatment and was diagnosed with a [[concussion]] after hitting her head whilst warming up before the match during a sprint exercise.<ref>{{cite news|title=Azarenka Collapses With Mild Concussion|date=1 September 2010|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/02/sports/tennis/02collapse.html|access-date=2 February 2012|work=The New York Times|first=Christopher|last=Clarey|archive-date=1 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130701032324/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/02/sports/tennis/02collapse.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|OCBiGRtyazc|Azarenka collapses – Azarenka vs Dulko – US Open 2010 (Quick Highlights)}}</ref> Azarenka won only seven Grand Slam matches for the entire year, matching her 2007 tally.

At the [[Toray Pan Pacific Open|Pan Pacific Open]], she lost to Caroline Wozniacki in the semifinals in three sets. Azarenka re-entered the top 10 after this run. At the China Open, Azarenka retired in her second-round match to [[Timea Bacsinszky]]. At the [[2010 Kremlin Cup|Kremlin Cup]] Azarenka, as the second seed, defeated Maria Kirilenko in the final, coming back from 4–0 down in the second set to win her fifth career title. Azarenka's performance in Moscow qualified her for the year-end [[2010 WTA Tour Championships|Tour Championships]], where she was in the White Group as the eighth seed. In her first round-robin match, Azarenka lost to Vera Zvonareva, and then lost to Kim Clijsters in her second match. This assured that she did not qualify for the semifinals. In her final match of the tournament and season, she defeated Janković for the second year in a row. Azarenka ended the year as world No. 10, her second consecutive year-end top-10 finish.

===2011: Miami Open title, WTA Tour Championships final===
Azarenka began her year at the [[Medibank International]] as the seventh seed, where she lost to Kim Clijsters in the quarterfinals. At the [[2011 Australian Open]] Azarenka was seeded eighth. She lost to the ninth seed and eventual finalist, Li Na in the fourth round. Azarenka partnered with Maria Kirilenko in the women's doubles event, but the pair lost to Gisela Dulko and [[Flavia Pennetta]] in the final. Azarenka then travelled to Israel to compete in Fed Cup. Belarus beat Croatia, Austria, and Greece in the group stage, without losing a match. The Belarusian team then defeated Poland 2–0 to qualify for the World Group II play-Offs in April where they played Estonia.
[[File:Azarenka AO 2011.jpg|thumb|Azarenka playing at the 2011 Australian Open]]
Azarenka's next tournament was the [[2011 Dubai Tennis Championships|Dubai Championships]], where she was seeded seventh. She lost to Flavia Pennetta in the third round. Azarenka then competed at the [[2011 Qatar Ladies Open|Qatar Open]] as the sixth seed, but lost to Daniela Hantuchová in the first round in three sets. Azarenka's next event was the [[2011 BNP Paribas Open|BNP Paribas Open]], where she competed as the eighth seed. She retired in the quarterfinals against world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, whilst trailing 0–3, due to a left leg injury.

Azarenka then competed at the [[2011 Sony Ericsson Open|Sony Ericsson Open]] as the eighth seed. She reached her second final at the event, where she defeated 16th seed Maria Sharapova to win the title.

At the [[2011 Andalucia Tennis Experience|Andalucia Tennis Experience]], Azarenka was the top seed and dropped only fourteen games on her way to the final. She defeated [[Irina-Camelia Begu]] in the final. Azarenka's victory, and Sam Stosur's inability to defend her points at Charleston, ensured that Azarenka would reach a career high of world No. 5. She then participated in Belarus' 5–0 win over Estonia in the Fed Cup. In her next tournament the [[2011 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix|Porsche Grand Prix]], Azarenka retired after winning the first set of her first match, ending her 12-match winning streak.

At the [[2011 Madrid Masters|Madrid Masters]], Azarenka was seeded fourth. She lost in the final in straight sets to Petra Kvitová, but still rose to a career-high world No. 4. Azarenka then reached the quarterfinals of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome, where she was up a set before retiring to eventual champion Maria Sharapova.

[[File:Azarenka Come On.jpg|thumb|upright|Azarenka at the 2011 Rogers Cup]]
Azarenka was the fourth seed at the [[2011 French Open|French Open]]. She beat [[Andrea Hlaváčková]] in the first round, [[Pauline Parmentier]] in the second round, 30th seed Roberta Vinci in the third round, and Ekaterina Makarova in the fourth round to reach her fourth career Grand Slam quarterfinal. She lost to Li Na in the quarterfinals. Azarenka was the fourth seed at [[2011 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]]. She beat 25th seed Daniela Hantuchová in a three-set third-round match, before beating Nadia Petrova. She followed that up with an easy victory over [[Tamira Paszek]], advancing to the semifinals of a Grand Slam for the first time. Azarenka was beaten by Czech player and eventual champion Petra Kvitová, going down in three sets.

Her next tournament was the [[2011 Bank of the West Classic|Bank of the West Classic]], where she was the defending champion and top seed. Azarenka was ousted by 124th-ranked Marina Erakovic from New Zealand in the second round. Despite her 'horrible match' in singles, Azarenka claimed the doubles title with partner Kirilenko. The next tournament Azarenka played was the [[2011 Rogers Cup|Rogers Cup]], where she was seeded fourth. After a bye, Azarenka beat [[Stéphanie Dubois]], María José Martínez Sánchez, and [[Galina Voskoboeva]], before being stopped by Serena Williams in the semifinals. Azarenka reached the doubles final with Kirilenko, but the team withdrew citing a hand injury to Azarenka. Azarenka pulled out of the [[2011 Western & Southern Open|Western & Southern Open]] with the same injury.

Azarenka's next tournament was the [[2011 US Open (tennis)|US Open]], where she was seeded fourth. She made it to the third round, where she was defeated by 28th seed and eventual runner-up Serena Williams.<ref>{{cite news|title=Serena outlasts No. 4 Azarenka at Open|date=4 September 2011|url=http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/tennis/when_there_will_serena_outlasts_NvYMnh5n62wvA4VErNH25O|access-date=2 February 2012|work=New York Post|first=Marc|last=Berman}}</ref> Despite the early loss, she reached a new career high of No. 3 in the world. Azarenka reached the semifinals of the [[2011 Toray Pan Pacific Open|Pan Pacific Open]], losing to eventual champion Agnieszka Radwańska. In doing so she qualified for the year-end championships in Istanbul. The Belarusian participated in the China Open, the last of the four mandatory events for 2011, as the second seed. She defeated [[Polona Hercog]] in the second round, after receiving a first-round bye. She then withdrew from the tournament, citing a right foot strain.

Azarenka would win her third title of the year at the [[2011 BGL Luxembourg Open|Luxembourg Open]], defeating [[Monica Niculescu]] in the final.<ref>{{cite news|title=Victoria Azarenka wins Luxembourg Open|date=23 October 2011|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/tennis/story/2011-10-23/victoria-azarenka-wins-luxembourg-open/50882000/1|access-date=2 February 2012|work=USA Today|archive-date=9 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160509142855/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/tennis/story/2011-10-23/victoria-azarenka-wins-luxembourg-open/50882000/1|url-status=live}}</ref> Azarenka was placed in the White Group at the [[2011 WTA Tour Championships|Tour Championships]]. She beat Samantha Stosur and Li Na in her first two Round Robin matches. She secured the move to the semifinals despite her loss in three sets to Marion Bartoli, a substitute for Maria Sharapova. She then beat Vera Zvonareva to move to the final where she lost to Petra Kvitová in three sets.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kvitova beats Azarenka in WTA Championships|date=30 October 2011|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/tennis/story/2011-10-30/vvitova-captures-wta-championships-title/51004474/1|access-date=2 February 2012|work=USA Today|archive-date=7 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107064655/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/tennis/story/2011-10-30/vvitova-captures-wta-championships-title/51004474/1|url-status=live}}</ref>

===2012: First Major title, two Olympic medals, world No. 1===
Azarenka claimed her first title of the season at the [[2012 Apia International Sydney|Apia International Sydney]] as the third seed. She defeated her first three opponents, [[Stefanie Vögele]], Jelena Janković and Marion Bartoli all in straight sets to advance to the semifinals where she defeated the seventh seed, Agnieszka Radwańska in three sets to reach the final. She went on to win against the [[2011 Medibank International Sydney – Women's singles|defending champion]] Li Na in [[2012 Apia International Sydney – Women's singles|three sets]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Victoria Azarenka claims Sydney title|date=13 January 2012|url=https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/7457603/victoria-azarenka-overcomes-li-na-sydney-international-final|access-date=2 February 2012|publisher=ESPN|archive-date=16 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120116193446/http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/7457603/victoria-azarenka-overcomes-li-na-sydney-international-final|url-status=live}}</ref>

Azarenka competed at the [[2012 Australian Open – Women's singles|Australian Open]] as the third seed, defeating [[Heather Watson]], [[Casey Dellacqua]], Mona Barthel and [[Iveta Benešová]] in the first four rounds without dropping a set. In the quarterfinals, Azarenka faced a sterner test against world No. 8, Agnieszka Radwańska, but won in three sets.<ref>{{cite news|title=Azarenka Wears Down Radwanska With Power Tennis|date=24 January 2012|url=http://straightsets.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/24/azarenka-wears-down-radwanska-with-power-tennis/?scp=7&sq=azarenka&st=cse|access-date=2 February 2012|publisher=Straight Sets (The New York Times)|first=Geoff|last=Macdonald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903142945/http://straightsets.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/24/azarenka-wears-down-radwanska-with-power-tennis/?scp=7&sq=azarenka&st=cse|archive-date=3 September 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> She then defeated the eleventh seed and defending champion Kim Clijsters<ref>{{cite news|title=Azarenka beats Clijsters, reaches Aust Open final|date=26 January 2011|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/01/26/2608862/azarenka-beats-clijsters-reaches.html|access-date=5 February 2012|work=Miami Herald}}</ref> to reach her first Major singles final, where she faced the world No. 4 Maria Sharapova. After a nervous start Azarenka proceeded to win the last nine games to win the title.<ref>{{cite news|title=Australian Open 2012: Maria Sharapova v Victoria Azarenka – as it happened|date=24 January 2012|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/jan/28/australian-open-2012-maria-sharapova?newsfeed=true|access-date=28 January 2012|work=The Guardian|first=Katy|last=Murrells|location=London|archive-date=8 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108003100/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/jan/28/australian-open-2012-maria-sharapova?newsfeed=true|url-status=live}}</ref> Azarenka recorded her first Grand Slam singles title and became the world No. 1 (with effect from 30 January 2012) in the same match.

Her first tournament as world number one was the [[2012 Qatar Total Open – Singles|Qatar Open]]. She won her third title of the year in Doha, defeating Sam Stosur in the final. Azarenka planned to compete at the [[2012 Dubai Tennis Championships|Dubai Championships]]. However, after a bye in the first round, she withdrew from the tournament due to an ankle injury. In March, she played in the [[2012 BNP Paribas Open – Women's singles|BNP Paribas Open]], where she was the top seed. In a re-run of the 2012 Australian Open decider, her opponent in the final was world No. 2 Maria Sharapova, and once again, Azarenka won in straight sets, thus extending her undefeated record in 2012 to 23–0. Azarenka's 26 match win-streak ended in the quarters of the [[2012 Sony Ericsson Open|Sony Ericsson Open]] in a straight set loss against Marion Bartoli. 
[[File:Victoria Azarenka, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova with medals 2012.jpg|thumb|Azarenka (in left) with Olympic bronze medal at the [[2012 Summer Olympics]]. She and Max Mirnyi also won the mixed doubles gold beating [[Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics|Britain's]] Laura Robson and Andy Murray.]]

In April, she competed at the [[2012 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix – Singles|Porsche Tennis Grand Prix]]. Making it to the semifinals she faced Agnieszka Radwańska and won in straight sets. This win meant she had beaten Radwańska in all five matches against her this year. Azarenka would then face world No. 2 Maria Sharapova in the final where she fell in straight sets. Azarenka then competed at the [[2012 Mutua Madrid Open|Madrid Open]]. She made it to the finals but was beaten easily by Serena Williams in straight sets. The result gave Azarenka only her third defeat of the year. Azarenka's next tournament was the [[2012 Internazionali BNL d'Italia|Internazionali BNL d'Italia]], she advanced to the third round quite easily but then withdrew from the tournament, citing a right shoulder strain, and avoided a third round clash with Dominika Cibulková.

At the [[2012 French Open|French Open]], she defeated [[Alberta Brianti]], [[Dinah Pfizenmaier]] and Alexandra Wozniak respectively to qualify for the fourth round. However, in the fourth round, she lost in straight sets against Dominika Cibulková of Slovakia.<ref>{{cite web|title=French Open – Women: Cibulkova stuns Azarenka|publisher=Yahoo!|url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/03062012/58/french-open-women-cibulkova-stuns-azarenka.html|access-date=3 June 2012}}</ref> As a result, she lost her world No. 1 ranking to eventual Roland Garros champion Maria Sharapova. Azarenka then competed at [[2012 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]], winning her first four matches in straight sets. She then defeated Tamira Paszek in the quarterfinals, also in straight sets, before losing to Serena Williams for the sixth straight time in the semifinal, bringing their head-to-head 8–1 in Serena's favour.<ref>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|url=http://sports.ndtv.com/tennis/news/item/192996-azarenka-defeats-paszek-to-set-up-clash-against-serena|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130208130846/http://sports.ndtv.com/tennis/news/item/192996-azarenka-defeats-paszek-to-set-up-clash-against-serena|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 February 2013|title=Azarenka defeats Paszek to set up clash against Serena|date=3 July 2012|publisher=sports.ndtv.com|access-date=10 September 2012}}</ref> Nonetheless, she regained the world No. 1 ranking after the tournament due to Sharapova's loss in the fourth round.

Later in the month, Azarenka took part in the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] [[Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics|tennis event]], held at the [[All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club|All England Club]] in Wimbledon, London. She entered two events, playing in both the [[Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's singles|women's singles]], and the [[Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Mixed doubles|mixed doubles]] alongside [[List of ATP number 1 ranked doubles players|ATP doubles world No. 1]] Max Mirnyi. In singles, Azarenka won her first four matches, all in straight sets, before falling in the semifinals, losing for the third time of the season and the ninth time overall to eventual Gold Medallist Serena Williams. Azarenka rebounded by winning the bronze-medal match over Maria Kirilenko in straight sets, earning the first ever Olympic medal in tennis for Belarus.<ref>{{cite web|agency=[[Associated Press]] (AP)|publisher=tennis.com|title=Azarenka beats Kirilenko to win bronze for Belarus|url=http://tennis.com/articles/templates/news.aspx?articleid=19059&zoneid=4|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130203200706/http://tennis.com/articles/templates/news.aspx?articleid=19059&zoneid=4|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 February 2013|date=4 August 2012|access-date=4 August 2012}} </ref> Azarenka got her first gold medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics on 5 August 2012 with Max Mirnyi for Belarus, defeating [[Andy Murray]] and [[Laura Robson (tennis)|Laura Robson]] of Great Britain in a tiebreak.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ornstein|first=David|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18906645|title=Andy Murray & Laura Robson take silver in Olympics final|date=5 August 2012|publisher=BBC|access-date=10 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120815230819/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18906645|archive-date=15 August 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Azarenka reached the quarterfinals for the first time at the 2012 US Open, winning her first four matches in straight sets for the loss of only ten games. There, she faced defending champion Samantha Stosur and eliminated her from the tournament in a two-and-a-half hour three-set thriller which was decided by a final-set tiebreak. Azarenka then faced former US Open champion and world No. 3 Maria Sharapova in the semifinal. Azarenka was able to come through the match after being a set down. In the final she faced former US Open champion and world No. 4 Serena Williams, losing for the eighth consecutive time despite serving for the match in the third set.

In mid-September, Azarenka played an exhibition match against Dominika Cibulková in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam,[49] winning the match in straight sets. Azarenka then played at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo where, in the quarters, she retired from the tournament due to dizziness. She then played the China Open, advancing to the quarterfinals without dropping a set. There she defeated Romina Oprandi and then eased past Marion Bartoli en route to the finals. The finals was set for another top 2 seeded match as it was Azarenka facing world No. 2 Maria Sharapova for the fifth time of the year. Azarenka was able to win the match comfortably. The win gave Azarenka her second Premier Mandatory title of the year and fifth overall title of the year. Azarenka then played at the Generali Ladies Linz, where she advanced to the semifinals without dropping a set. In the semis she faced Irina-Camelia Begu, winning easily. In the finals she faced Germany's Julia Görges and won the match in straight sets, tying Serena with six titles for the year.
Azarenka's final tournament of the year was the WTA Tour Championships where she was drawn in the red group along with world No. 3, Serena Williams, world No. 5, Angelique Kerber and world No. 8, Li Na. In match one she beat Kerber but was subsequently beaten by Serena Williams. In her final round robin match, she beat Li Na, ensuring her Year-End No. 1 ranking. As the runner-up of her group, Azarenka faced White Group winner Maria Sharapova in the semifinals. After, clinching the world number one spot in her previous match against Li, she seemed physically drained to compete well and lost to Sharapova in two sets.
Azarenka set a new record for single-season prize money in 2012, earning $7.9 million. She also finished the season with a 69–10 win–loss record and six titles, losing five of those matches to Serena Williams, two to Maria Sharapova, one to Marion Bartoli, one to Dominika Cibulková and the remaining loss coming on a retirement to Tamira Paszek.

Azarenka lost to Ekaterina Makarova in the second round of the [[WTA Madrid Open (tennis)|Madrid Open]].  She reached the final in the [[Italian Open (tennis)|Italian Open]] by defeating [[Julia Görges]], [[Ayumi Morita]], Sam Stosur, and Sara Errani, but lost to Serena Williams in the final. In the French Open, as the third seed, she reached the semifinal before she was defeated by Maria Sharapova, who ended the tournament as runner-up.

[[File:Victoria Azarenka (9417885047).jpg|thumb|left|upright|Azarenka at the 2013 Southern California Open]]
In the first round of the [[2013 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon Championships]] she defeated [[Maria João Koehler]] in straight sets, but suffered a knee injury early in the second set. Citing the injury, she withdrew from the Championships before her second round match against Flavia Pennetta.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/23067270|title=Victoria Azarenka pulls out through injury|publisher=[[BBC Sport]]|date=26 June 2013|access-date=26 June 2013|archive-date=26 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130626180953/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/23067270|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following her injury-enforced early exit from Wimbledon, Azarenka returned to action at the [[2013 Southern California Open|Southern California Open]], where she was the top seed. After receiving a first-round bye, she defeated [[Francesca Schiavone]], [[Urszula Radwańska]] and Ana Ivanovic (the latter in three sets) before losing to Samantha Stosur in straight sets in the championship match. The loss to Stosur marked her first loss against her, after previously winning their first eight encounters.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-05/stosur-breaks-through-to-win-in-california/4864662?section=sport Sam Stosur breaks through to win the WTA Southern Californian Open from Victoria Azarenka] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130805015946/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-05/stosur-breaks-through-to-win-in-california/4864662?section=sport |date=5 August 2013 }}, ''ABC Grandstand Sport (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)'', 5 August 2013</ref>

Azarenka later withdrew from the Rogers Cup, citing a back injury.<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-05/victoria-azarenka-withdraws-from-toronto-tennis-with-back-injury.html Victoria Azarenka Withdraws From Toronto Tennis With Back Injury] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140713064607/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-05/victoria-azarenka-withdraws-from-toronto-tennis-with-back-injury.html |date=13 July 2014 }}, ''Bloomberg'', 5 August 2013</ref>

Seeded second at Cincinnati, Azarenka received a first round bye, following which she won her first match at the tournament since 2009, when she defeated local hope [[Vania King]] in the second round. That was then followed by wins over [[Magdaléna Rybáriková]], Caroline Wozniacki (her first victory against her since 2009) and Jelena Janković, en route to reaching her fifth final of the year, where she defeated Serena Williams in a championship match to pick up her third title for the year.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-19/victoria-azarenka-wins-thrilling-final-against-serena-williams/4895848?section=sport Victoria Azarenka wins thrilling Cincinnati final against Serena Williams] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105020349/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-19/victoria-azarenka-wins-thrilling-final-against-serena-williams/4895848?section=sport |date=5 November 2013 }}, ''ABC Grandstand Sport (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)'', 19 August 2013</ref>

At the [[2013 US Open (tennis)|US Open]], where Azarenka was seeded second, she reached the final for the second consecutive year. In her first round match, she defeated Dinah Pfizenmaier without losing a game. In her second round match, she defeated Aleksandra Wozniak in straight sets. In her third and fourth round matches, she respectively battled past Alizé Cornet and Ana Ivanovic, coming from a set down to win both matches. In her quarterfinal match, she defeated Daniela Hantuchová in straight sets. In the semifinal match, she defeated surprise semifinalist Flavia Pennetta. However, she lost in the final to Serena Williams in three sets.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-09/williams-wins-us-open-final-with-three-set-triumph-over-azarenka/4944982?section=sport Serena Williams wins US Open final with three-set triumph over Victoria Azarenka] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921064936/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-09/williams-wins-us-open-final-with-three-set-triumph-over-azarenka/4944982?section=sport |date=21 September 2013 }}, ''ABC Grandstand Sport (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)'', 9 September 2013</ref>

Azarenka then endured an unsuccessful Asian swing, losing in the second round to former number one and seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams in straight sets in [[2013 Toray Pan Pacific Open|Tokyo]]<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-25/venus-topples-azarenka-stosur-through-to-last-16/4979192?section=sport Venus Williams, Samantha Stosur through to last 16 at Pan Pacific Open] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001021444/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-25/venus-topples-azarenka-stosur-through-to-last-16/4979192?section=sport |date=1 October 2013 }}, ''ABC Grandstand Sport (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)'', 25 September 2013</ref> and losing in the first round to [[Andrea Petkovic]] in an error-riddled performance in [[2013 China Open (tennis)|Beijing]].<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-01/azarenka-undone-by-double-faults-and-petkovic/4990646?section=sport Victoria Azarenka knocked out of China Open in first round by Germany's Andrea Petkovic] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002161829/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-01/azarenka-undone-by-double-faults-and-petkovic/4990646?section=sport |date=2 October 2013 }}, ''ABC Grandstand Sport (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)'', 1 October 2013</ref> Azarenka's 2013 season ended with a poor showing at the [[2013 WTA Tour Championships]], winning only one of her three-round robin matches and failing to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2010.

===2014–15: Injuries and struggle===
{{main|2014 Victoria Azarenka tennis season}}
[[File:Australian Open 2015 (16191786337).jpg|thumb|right|Azarenka at the 2015 Australian Open]]
Azarenka's 2014 season was blighted by a foot injury. As a result, she missed five months of the season, and called an early end to her season in September.<ref name="2014 injury"/> The injuries forced her to miss seven of her first 16 events of the season, including the [[2014 French Open]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/4160528/title/azarenka-to-miss-rest-of-2014|title=News – WTA Tennis English|work=Women's Tennis Association|access-date=21 September 2014|archive-date=25 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140925174148/http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/4160528/title/azarenka-to-miss-rest-of-2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Azarenka only managed to make it to one final all season, in her first tournament of the year in [[2014 Brisbane International|Brisbane]], where she lost to Serena Williams in straight sets. In three other tournaments Azarenka managed to reach the quarterfinals, but failed to progress any further. She lost to Agnieszka Radwańska at the [[2014 Australian Open|Australian Open]] and Montreal, and to Ekaterina Makarova at the US Open. Elsewhere, she suffered losses in her opening matches at tournaments in Indian Wells, Eastbourne, and Stanford. At Wimbledon she lost in her second round match to [[Bojana Jovanovski]] in three sets. Azarenka's 2014 season ended in September, with her citing injury.<ref name="2014 injury">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/29301788|title=Victoria Azarenka to miss rest of 2014 season through injury|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=11 February 2018|archive-date=25 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140925012444/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/29301788|url-status=live}}</ref> She ended the year ranked world No. 32, her lowest finish since 2006.

Azarenka started the 2015 season at the Brisbane International, losing to [[Karolína Plíšková]] in three sets, despite having multiple match points.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brisbaneinternational.com.au/2015/01/pliskova-saves-match-point-to-stun-azarenka|title=Pliskova saves match point to stun Azarenka|publisher=Brisbane International official site|date=5 January 2015|access-date=15 August 2015|archive-date=22 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150922191729/http://www.brisbaneinternational.com.au/2015/01/pliskova-saves-match-point-to-stun-azarenka|url-status=live}}</ref> As of being a runner-up last year, she dropped out from the top 40.{{clarify|date=September 2015}} However, Azarenka reached the fourth round at the [[2015 Australian Open|Australian Open]], beating eight seed [[Caroline Wozniacki]] en route,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jan/22/victoria-azarenka-defeats-caroline-wozniacki|title=Azarenka defeats Wozniacki in second round|newspaper=The Guardian|date=22 January 2015|access-date=15 August 2015|archive-date=26 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926131847/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jan/22/victoria-azarenka-defeats-caroline-wozniacki|url-status=live}}</ref> but lost to [[Dominika Cibulková]] in three sets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/australian-open-2015-dominika-cibulkova-beats-victoria-azarenka-20150126-12yb0g.html|title=Cibulkova ends Azarenka's run|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=26 January 2015|access-date=15 August 2015|archive-date=25 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925010330/http://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/australian-open-2015-dominika-cibulkova-beats-victoria-azarenka-20150126-12yb0g.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In [[2015 Qatar Total Open|Doha]], Azarenka scored three wins over top-20 players, against [[Angelique Kerber]], fifth ranked Wozniacki and Venus Williams, before losing to [[Lucie Šafářová]] in the final.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/12398393/lucie-safarova-beats-victoria-azarenka-win-qatar-open|title=Safarova beats Azarenka in Doha final|publisher=ESPN|date=3 March 2015|access-date=15 August 2015|archive-date=16 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150816194338/http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/12398393/lucie-safarova-beats-victoria-azarenka-win-qatar-open|url-status=live}}</ref> She then played in [[2015 BNP Paribas Open|Indian Wells]] and [[2015 Miami Open|Miami]], losing in the third round at both.

Azarenka opened her clay season in [[2015 Mutua Madrid Open|Madrid]], where she beat Venus Williams, but lost to her sister Serena in third round, despite having three match points. Next she reached the quarterfinals in [[2015 Internazionali BNL d'Italia|Rome]], losing to Maria Sharapova again after Sharapova previously beat her at Indian Wells. At the [[2015 French Open|French Open]], she lost eight games before reaching the third round, but then fell to Serena Williams, despite being two service games from victory in the second set.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/french-open-2015-serena-williams-rocked-by-victoria-azarenka-but-wins-20150530-ghdbjk.html|title=Serena survives, Azarenka angry at umpire's bad decision at important moment|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=31 May 2015|access-date=15 August 2015|archive-date=7 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707033046/http://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/french-open-2015-serena-williams-rocked-by-victoria-azarenka-but-wins-20150530-ghdbjk.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

She withdrew from the second round match in [[2015 Aegon Classic|Birmingham]] citing a foot injury. Azarenka made a run to the [[2015 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]] quarterfinals with four straight set wins, but lost to Serena Williams again after taking the first set.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jul/07/serena-williams-victoria-azarenka-wimbledon-2015|title=Serena defeats Azarenka in quarterfinals|work=The Guardian|date=7 July 2015|access-date=15 August 2015|archive-date=16 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150816153127/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jul/07/serena-williams-victoria-azarenka-wimbledon-2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

She returned to action in [[2015 Rogers Cup|Toronto]], reaching the third round after beating [[Elina Svitolina]] and third seed Petra Kvitová. She then seemed to be frustrated by Errani's medical timeout during the first set where she was up a break. Azarenka won just four of the next 14 games and lost the match.

Azarenka reached the third round of the [[2015 Western & Southern Open|Western & Southern Open]] in Cincinnati, beating [[Lauren Davis]] and fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki. She then retired against [[Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova]].

She beat [[Lucie Hradecká]], [[Yanina Wickmayer]], 11th seed Angelique Kerber and [[Varvara Lepchenko]] to reach the quarterfinals at the [[2015 US Open (tennis)|US Open]]. She then lost in three sets to second seed [[Simona Halep]].

===2016: Sunshine Double, top 5, tennis hiatus===
Azarenka started her season at the [[2016 Brisbane International|Brisbane International]] in Australia. She reached the final after defeating Elena Vesnina, [[Ysaline Bonaventure]], eighth seed Roberta Vinci and surprise qualifier [[Samantha Crawford]]. She faced fourth seed Angelique Kerber in the final and won the title without losing a set in the entire tournament. This was her 18th WTA title and her first since the [[2013 Western & Southern Open]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-09/azarenka-claims-brisbane-international-with-victory-over-kerber/7078868?section=sport|title=Victoria Azarenka wins Brisbane International with victory over Angelique Kerber|work=ABC News|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=9 January 2016|access-date=10 January 2016|archive-date=10 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160110002958/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-09/azarenka-claims-brisbane-international-with-victory-over-kerber/7078868?section=sport|url-status=live}}</ref> At the [[2016 Australian Open|Australian Open]], Azarenka was seeded 14th and reached the quarterfinals without dropping a set, including a double-bagel win over [[Alison Van Uytvanck]]. However, in her quarterfinal match she was defeated in straight sets by seventh seed and eventual champion Angelique Kerber, who had never defeated Azarenka in their previous six matches. Azarenka was ahead in the second set but failed to convert five set points.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Greg Garber|author2=Matt Wilansky|title=Angelique Kerber upsets Victoria Azarenka in Aussie quarters|url=https://www.espn.com/tennis/aus16/story/_/id/14655665/angelique-kerber-upsets-victoria-azarenka-australian-open-quarterfinals|website=[[ESPN]]|access-date=27 January 2016|date=26 January 2016|archive-date=28 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128102522/http://espn.go.com/tennis/aus16/story/_/id/14655665/angelique-kerber-upsets-victoria-azarenka-australian-open-quarterfinals|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) (24338605302).jpg | thumb | right | Azarenka at the 2016 Australian Open player’s party]]
Azarenka played her first 250-point International event since 2011 in [[2016 Abierto Mexicano Telcel|Acapulco, Mexico]]. She withdrew after a first-round win over Polona Hercog.

Azarenka next played, and won, at [[2016 BNP Paribas Open – Women's singles|Indian Wells]]. The title included wins over Serena Williams, Karolína Plíšková, and a double-bagel win over [[Magdaléna Rybáriková]]. Her ranking rose to No. 8 after Indian Wells.

Two weeks later, Azarenka beat Svetlana Kuznetsova in the [[2016 Miami Open|Miami]] final to become only the third player to win the Indian Wells-Miami double in the same year. The title included a straight-sets revenge defeat of Angelique Kerber in the semifinals and a win over [[Garbiñe Muguruza]] in the fourth round in their first meeting. Her ranking rose to No. 5 afterwards.

Azarenka started her clay-court season at the [[2016 Mutua Madrid Open|Madrid Open]] as the fourth seed. She cruised through the first two rounds with wins over Laura Robson and [[Alizé Cornet]]. However, she withdrew from her third-round match with [[Louisa Chirico]] citing a back injury.

After losing to Irina-Camelia Begu in her first match in [[2016 Internazionali BNL d'Italia|Rome]], she retired from her first round match against [[Karin Knapp]] at the [[2016 French Open|French Open]], citing a knee injury.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/5595983/title/knapp-outlasts-injured-azarenka|title=KNAPP OUTLASTS INJURED AZARENKA|publisher=wtatennis.com|date=24 May 2016|access-date=5 June 2016|archive-date=13 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160613001717/http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/5595983/title/knapp-outlasts-injured-azarenka|url-status=live}}</ref> The same injury led her to withdraw from [[2016 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/36607055|title=Wimbledon 2016: Victoria Azarenka out of Wimbledon|date=23 June 2016|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=23 June 2016|archive-date=26 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626083401/http://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/36607055|url-status=live}}</ref>

Azarenka announced her pregnancy through social media on 15 July, and missed the rest of the 2016 season as a result.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Azarenka |first=Victoria |author-link=Victoria Azarenka |user=vika7 |number=753967433883410432 |date=15 July 2016 |title=I have some news for you all ☺️ https://t.co/64Kf90tZF6 |language=en |access-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220907182543/https://twitter.com/vika7/status/753967433883410432 |archive-date=7 September 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> On 20 December 2016, Azarenka gave birth to a boy named Leo;<ref name="merged1">{{cite tweet |last=Azarenka |first=Victoria |author-link=Victoria Azarenka |user=vika7 |number=811031196083900416 |date=20 December 2016 |title=Today I had my hardest fight and my very best victory! Our son was born healthy and happy! So thankful and blessed! Thank you 🙏🏻❤ https://t.co/zsoFRivnvQ |language=en |access-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111232626/https://twitter.com/vika7/status/811031196083900416 |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2016/12/victoria-azarenka-pregnancy/62916/|title=AZARENKA GIVES BIRTH TO FIRST CHILD, HOPES TO PLAY 'PRETTY SOON'|publisher=tennis.com|first=Kamakshi|last=Tandon|date=20 December 2016|access-date=21 December 2016|archive-date=21 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221092258/http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2016/12/victoria-azarenka-pregnancy/62916/|url-status=live}}</ref> she subsequently split from his father and a custody battle ensued.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/17/sports/tennis/victoria-azarenka-us-open-child.html?module=WatchingPortal&region=c-column-middle-span-region&pgType=Homepage&action=click&mediaId=thumb_square&state=standard&contentPlacement=1&version=internal&contentCollection=www.nytimes.com&contentId=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2017%2F08%2F17%2Fsports%2Ftennis%2Fvictoria-azarenka-us-open-child.html&eventName=Watching-article-click&_r=0 |title=Azarenko-U.S. Open and custody battle |website=[[The New York Times]] |date=17 August 2017 |access-date=18 August 2017 |archive-date=18 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818220906/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/17/sports/tennis/victoria-azarenka-us-open-child.html?module=WatchingPortal&region=c-column-middle-span-region&pgType=Homepage&action=click&mediaId=thumb_square&state=standard&contentPlacement=1&version=internal&contentCollection=www.nytimes.com&contentId=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2017%2F08%2F17%2Fsports%2Ftennis%2Fvictoria-azarenka-us-open-child.html&eventName=Watching-article-click&_r=0 |url-status=live |last1=Rothenberg |first1=Ben }}</ref>

===2017: Return to tour, child custody battle===
Azarenka returned to competitive tennis at the [[2017 Mallorca Open – Singles|Mallorca Open]] (19–25 June), winning her first match against [[Risa Ozaki]] after saving three match points in the final set. She lost in the second round to [[Ana Konjuh]].
[[File:Azarenka WM17 (28) (35347485464).jpg | thumb | right | Azarenka at the Wimbledon Championships, 2017]]
At [[2017 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles|Wimbledon]], Azarenka used her protected ranking to enter the main draw. She came back from a set down to defeat American teenager [[CiCi Bellis]] in the first round. In the second round, she completed the first straight sets win of her return by knocking out 15th seed Elena Vesnina. In the third round, Azarenka beat Heather Watson in a three-set match in 2 hours and 6 minutes. She was beaten by world No. 2, Simona Halep in the fourth round in straight sets. In mixed-doubles event, Azarenka teamed up with the former world number one in men doubles [[Nenad Zimonjic]] where they lost in the first round of the championship to the [[2016 Wimbledon Championships|2016 Wimbledon]] mixed-doubles champion, [[Henri Kontinen]] and Heather Watson, in straight sets at the same day when Azarenka defeated Watson in the women's singles event.

In August 2017, Azarenka's custody battle for her eight-month old son resulted in her withdrawal from that year's [[2017 US Open (tennis)|US Open]].<ref name=":0" /> She also missed the [[2017 Fed Cup]] final, in which her native Belarus lost 2–3 to the United States.

===2018: Top 100, Wimbledon mixed-doubles final===
Azarenka originally received a wild card for the [[2018 Australian Open|Australian Open]], but she withdrew from the tournament due to her ongoing custody battle.<ref>{{cite web|title=Azarenka withdraws from Australian Open|url=http://www.wtatennis.com/news/azarenka-withdraws-australian-open|date=8 January 2018|access-date=8 January 2018|archive-date=8 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108191230/http://www.wtatennis.com/news/azarenka-withdraws-australian-open|url-status=live}}</ref> On 16 January 2018, it was announced that Azarenka had won her custody battle hearing,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/tennis/victoria-azarenka-scores-win-in-custody-war-5026943/|title=Victoria Azarenka scores win in custody war|date=16 January 2018|access-date=16 January 2018|archive-date=17 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180117011959/http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/tennis/victoria-azarenka-scores-win-in-custody-war-5026943/|url-status=live}}</ref> and was due to resume her career with the [[2018 BNP Paribas Open|Indian Wells Open]]. She lost to Sloane Stephens in the third round. At the Miami Open, she set up a rematch against Stephens after defeating Karolína Plíšková in the quarterfinal round in straight sets. She lost in three sets. With her run to the semifinals, Azarenka returned to the top 100 for the first time since returning to tour. At the Madrid Open, Azarenka lost in round two to Karolína Plíšková. At the Italian Open, she was defeated in the opening round by Naomi Osaka. At the French Open, Azarenka was defeated in the first round by Kateřina Siniaková.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/tennis/news/32455/11387529/victoria-azarenka-suffers-a-surprise-french-open-exit-on-her-grand-slam-return|title=Victoria Azarenka suffers a surprise French Open exit on her Grand Slam return|work=Sky Sports |access-date=31 May 2018|archive-date=19 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619163504/http://www.skysports.com/tennis/news/32455/11387529/victoria-azarenka-suffers-a-surprise-french-open-exit-on-her-grand-slam-return|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wtatennis.com/news/osaka-fire-overpowers-azarenka-rome|title=Osaka on fire, overpowers Azarenka in Rome|access-date=4 June 2018|archive-date=17 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617024408/http://www.wtatennis.com/news/osaka-fire-overpowers-azarenka-rome|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/44034997| title = Madrid Open: Karolina Pliskova holds off Victoria Azarenka in round two – BBC Sport| work = BBC Sport| access-date = 31 May 2018| archive-date = 21 October 2018| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181021000653/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/44034997| url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Not just Serena Williams, but several top WTA stars returning to Indian Wells after time off|url=https://www.desertsun.com/story/sports/tennis/bnp/2018/03/06/not-just-serena-but-several-top-wta-stars-returning-bnp-after-number-wta-stars-return-bnp-paribas-op/391201002/|date=6 March 2018|access-date=8 March 2018|archive-date=12 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812062252/https://www.desertsun.com/story/sports/tennis/bnp/2018/03/06/not-just-serena-but-several-top-wta-stars-returning-bnp-after-number-wta-stars-return-bnp-paribas-op/391201002/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Azarenka WM18 (54) (30063338118) (cropped).jpg | thumb | right | Azarenka at the Wimbledon Championships, 2018]]

Azarenka started the grass-court season at the [[2018 Mallorca Open|Mallorca Open]], where she lost in the second round to Lucie Šafářová.<ref>{{cite web|title=Safarova seamless over Azarenka in Mallorca|url=http://www.wtatennis.com/news/safarova-seamless-over-azarenka-mallorca|date=21 June 2018|access-date=4 July 2018|archive-date=4 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704212908/http://www.wtatennis.com/news/safarova-seamless-over-azarenka-mallorca|url-status=live}}</ref> At [[2018 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]], she lost in the second round to another Czech player, Karolína Plíšková.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pliskova breaks new ground at Wimbledon over Azarenka|url=http://www.wtatennis.com/news/pliskova-breaks-new-ground-wimbledon-over-azarenka|date=4 July 2018|access-date=4 July 2018|archive-date=4 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704212857/http://www.wtatennis.com/news/pliskova-breaks-new-ground-wimbledon-over-azarenka|url-status=live}}</ref> Nonetheless, she reached the final in the mixed doubles, partnering [[Jamie Murray]].

At the US Open, Azarenka lost in the third round in straight sets to defending champion Sloane Stephens.<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/tennis/sloane-stephens-turns-back-victoria-azarenka-showing-how-far-both-have-come/2018/08/31/99fa7928-ad4b-11e8-b1da-ff7faa680710_story.html| title = Sloane Stephens turns back Victoria Azarenka, showing how far both have come – The Washington Post| newspaper = [[The Washington Post]]| access-date = 1 September 2018| archive-date = 1 September 2018| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180901111451/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/tennis/sloane-stephens-turns-back-victoria-azarenka-showing-how-far-both-have-come/2018/08/31/99fa7928-ad4b-11e8-b1da-ff7faa680710_story.html| url-status = live}}</ref> Then she played in the quarterfinals of [[2018 Toray Pan Pacific Open – Singles|Tokyo]].

===2019: US Open doubles final, top 50===
[[File:Azarenka RG19 (55) (48199402222).jpg|thumb|upright|Azarenka at the [[2019 French Open]]]]
At the [[2019 Australian Open|Australian Open]], Azarenka lost to [[Laura Siegemund]] in the first round.<ref>{{cite web|title=Siegemund spoils Azarenka's Aussie return in opening epic|url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/siegemund-spoils-azarenkas-aussie-return-opening-epic|work=WTA Tennis|date=15 January 2019|access-date=27 April 2019|archive-date=27 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427122439/https://www.wtatennis.com/news/siegemund-spoils-azarenkas-aussie-return-opening-epic|url-status=live}}</ref>

She won doubles in [[2019 Abierto Mexicano Telcel|Acapulco]], partnering [[Zheng Saisai]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Azarenka returns to winners' circle with Zheng in Acapulco|url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/azarenka-returns-winners-circle-zheng-acapulco|work=WTA Tennis|date=3 March 2019|access-date=27 April 2019|archive-date=20 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320231241/https://www.wtatennis.com/news/azarenka-returns-winners-circle-zheng-acapulco|url-status=live}}</ref> In [[2019 Monterrey Open|Monterrey]], Azarenka advanced to the final, defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Angelique Kerber along the way.<ref>{{cite web|title=Azarenka downs Kerber to reach Monterrey final|url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/azarenka-downs-kerber-reach-monterrey-final|work=WTA Tennis|date=7 April 2019|access-date=27 April 2019|archive-date=27 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427124020/https://www.wtatennis.com/news/azarenka-downs-kerber-reach-monterrey-final|url-status=live}}</ref> She retired in the second set against defending champion [[Garbiñe Muguruza]], citing a right leg injury, as she was losing 1–6, 1–3.<ref>{{cite web|title=Muguruza defends Monterrey title as injured Azarenka retires|url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/muguruza-defends-monterrey-title-injured-azarenka-retires|work=WTA Tennis|date=7 April 2019|access-date=27 April 2019|archive-date=27 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427125601/https://www.wtatennis.com/news/muguruza-defends-monterrey-title-injured-azarenka-retires|url-status=live}}</ref>

At [[2019 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]], she lost in the third round to eventual champion Simona Halep. At the [[2019 US Open (tennis)|US Open]], she made the final in women's doubles partnering [[Ashleigh Barty]].

===2020: First title since 2016, major final, top 20===
Azarenka withdrew from the Australian Open due to 'personal problems'.

Her first match in 2020 was at the [[2020 Monterrey Open – Singles|
Monterrey Open]], where she lost in the first round to [[Tamara Zidanšek]] in straight sets. She then withdrew from [[2020 BNP Paribas Open|Indian Wells]] for undisclosed reasons, before the tournament was cancelled, and the WTA Tour was suspended, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.essentiallysports.com/victoria-azarenka-to-take-break-from-tennis-ahead-of-bnp-paribas-open-wta-news-vera-zvonereva-2020/|title=Victoria Azarenka to take break from tennis ahead of BNP Paribas Open|last=Satam|first=Samir|website=Essentially Sports|date=7 March 2020|access-date=21 May 2020|archive-date=14 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414190416/https://www.essentiallysports.com/victoria-azarenka-to-take-break-from-tennis-ahead-of-bnp-paribas-open-wta-news-vera-zvonereva-2020/|url-status=live}}</ref>

When the WTA Tour resumed she played her first tournament in five months at the [[Top Seed Open]] in Lexington where she lost in the first round to Venus Williams in straight sets.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/1751877/venus-vanquishes-azarenka-sets-serena-clash-in-lexington|title=Venus vanquishes Azarenka, sets Serena clash in Lexington|access-date=12 August 2020|archive-date=18 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918211620/https://www.wtatennis.com/news/1751877/venus-vanquishes-azarenka-sets-serena-clash-in-lexington|url-status=live}}</ref>

Azarenka next played at the [[2020 Western & Southern Open – Women's singles|Western & Southern Open]], winning the title via walkover in the final, after Naomi Osaka withdrew citing a hamstring injury.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/1792158/osaka-withdraws-from-cincy-final-azarenka-wins-title|title=Osaka withdraws from Cincy final, Azarenka wins title|access-date=29 August 2020|archive-date=31 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200831041305/https://www.wtatennis.com/news/1792158/osaka-withdraws-from-cincy-final-azarenka-wins-title|url-status=live}}</ref> This became her first WTA singles title since the [[2016 Miami Open – Women's singles|2016 Miami Open]] and since giving birth to her son. Following the victory, Azarenka climbed 22 places in the world rankings to 27th place.<ref>{{Cite web|title=WTA rankings Update 2020: Azarenka vaults back into Top 30|url=http://www.wtatennis.com/news/1797568/wta-rankings-update-2020-azarenka-vaults-back-into-top-30|access-date=2020-08-31|website=Women's Tennis Association|date=28 August 2020 |language=en|archive-date=4 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200904192926/https://www.wtatennis.com/news/1797568/wta-rankings-update-2020-azarenka-vaults-back-into-top-30|url-status=live}}</ref>

Azarenka was unseeded in singles at the [[2020 US Open – Women's singles|US Open]], given that seedings were taken from the rankings the week prior to her big win. She defeated [[Barbara Haas]] in the first round, then defeated the fifth seed and world No. 11, her countrywoman [[Aryna Sabalenka]] in the second round. Azarenka then defeated Polish teenager [[Iga Świątek]] in the third round, before coming back from a set down to defeat the 20th seed [[Karolína Muchová]], advancing to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since the [[2016 Australian Open – Women's singles|2016 Australian Open]]. With Serena Williams and [[Tsvetana Pironkova]] also making the last eight, it marked the first time in Grand Slam history that three mothers advanced to the quarterfinals. She defeated [[Elise Mertens]] in the quarterfinals, and achieved her first ever Grand Slam victory over Serena Williams in three sets in the semifinals. She proceeded to a Grand Slam final for the first time since the [[2013 US Open – Women's singles|2013 US Open]], where she lost to Osaka, despite leading by a set and a break. Despite the loss, Azarenka's ranking rose to No. 14, her highest ranking since January 2017.

In the clay-court swing, which started the following week at the Italian Open, she had  victories over Venus Williams and reigning Australian Open champion [[Sofia Kenin]]. The win over Kenin was the tenth [[double bagel]] in Azarenka's career, and her first on clay since 2011.<ref>{{cite tweet |author=Tennis GIFs 🎾🎥 |user=tennis_gifs |number=1306657270629978112 |date=17 September 2020 |title=Azarenka collects her tenth career double bagel and first on clay since 2011, per Tennis Abstract. #IBI20 https://t.co/peGjbpm05P |language=en |access-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917182919/https://twitter.com/tennis_gifs/status/1306657270629978112 |archive-date=17 September 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> After a third-round win due to [[Daria Kasatkina]]'s retirement, she was defeated by [[Garbiñe Muguruza]] in the quarterfinals. However, at a cold and grey [[French Open|Roland-Garros]], Azarenka was defeated in straight sets by [[Anna Karolína Schmiedlová|Anna Karolina Schmeidlova]] in the second round, having courted attention in the previous round for leaving the court mid-match after complaining to tournament staff about the playing conditions.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Azarenka storms off court at Roland Garros|url=https://www.itv.com/frenchopen/articles/azarenka-storms-off-court-at-roland-garros|access-date=2020-10-18|website=ITV|language=en|archive-date=6 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006233512/https://www.itv.com/frenchopen/articles/azarenka-storms-off-court-at-roland-garros|url-status=live}}</ref>

At the end of the season, Azarenka entered the [[J&T Banka Ostrava Open|Ostrava Open]] as the fourth seed in singles. She reached the finals, but was defeated by Sabalenka in straight sets, in a final in which she said she had struggled with a migraine.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/1875146/sabalenka-seals-azarenka-for-ostrava-title|title=Sabalenka seals Azarenka for Ostrava title|access-date=26 October 2020|archive-date=29 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029075703/https://www.wtatennis.com/news/1875146/sabalenka-seals-azarenka-for-ostrava-title|url-status=live}}</ref>

===2021: Indian Wells final===
[[File:2021-06 Wiktoryja Asaranka (cropped).jpg | thumb | right | Azarenka in June 2021]]
In 2021, Azarenka first played at the [[2021 Grampians Trophy – Singles|Grampians Trophy]], a tournament organised for players affected by the hard quarantine imposed upon those who travelled on flights that contained positive results for [[Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2|COVID-19]]. She defeated [[Yulia Putintseva]] in the second round. She withdrew prior to her match in the quarterfinals against [[Anett Kontaveit]], citing a lower back injury.<ref>{{cite tweet |author=wta |user=WTA |number=1357839759612248064 |date=5 February 2021 |title=Victoria Azarenka has withdrawn from the Grampians Trophy due to injury (low back). Anett Kontaveit advances to the semifinal by walkover. Sakkari vs Kerber is moving to Margaret Court Arena starting at 12:00 Noon AEDT. |language=en |access-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902192022/https://twitter.com/wta/status/1357839759612248064 |archive-date=2 September 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Azarenka disappointed at the [[2021 Australian Open – Women's singles|Australian Open]], losing in the first round to the unseeded [[Jessica Pegula]].

At [[2021 Qatar Total Open – Singles|Doha]], Azarenka defeated [[Svetlana Kuznetsova]] and Laura Siegemund in straight sets, before facing Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals. Azarenka was afflicted by a lower-back injury throughout the match. Despite this, Azarenka defeated Svitolina in straight sets. She withdrew before her match against eventual runner-up and world No. 16 [[Garbiñe Muguruza]]. She withdrew from [[2021 Dubai Tennis Championships|Dubai]], citing a back injury.

Her next tournament was the [[2021 Miami Open – Women's singles|Miami Open]]. In receipt of a second round bye, she received a walkover from Laura Siegemund into the third round. In the third round, Azarenka recorded a straight sets victory over Angelique Kerber, before falling to world no. 1 and eventual champion Ashleigh Barty in the fourth round in three sets.

Azarenka started her clay season at [[2021 Mutua Madrid Open – Women's singles|Madrid]], where she defeated [[Ekaterina Alexandrova]]. She then withdrew from her match against Jessica Pegula, citing a lower back injury.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.essentiallysports.com/wta-tennis-news-im-unable-to-sustain-my-level-victoria-azarenka-raises-doubts-over-french-open-2021-after-madrid-open-withdrawal/|title=Azarenka Raises Doubts Over French Open 2021 After Madrid Open Withdrawal|date=2 May 2021|website=EssentiallySports}}</ref>

At the [[2021 French Open – Women's singles|French Open]], she reached the fourth round only for the fifth time in her career, defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova, [[Clara Tauson]], and [[Madison Keys]], before falling to eventual runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in three sets.

At the [[2021 WTA German Open – Singles|German Open]], Azarenka reached the semifinals, defeating Andrea Petkovic, Angelique Kerber, and Jessica Pegula, before falling to the eventual champion, [[Liudmila Samsonova]]. Partnering compatriot Aryna Sabalenka, Azarenka won the doubles event at the same tournament, defeating the top seeded pair of [[Demi Schuurs]] and [[Nicole Melichar]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.essentiallysports.com/victoria-azarenka-and-aryna-sabalenka-sent-out-tokyo-olympics-2021-warnings-after-claiming-wta-berlin-title-tennis-news/|title = Azarenka and Sabalenka Sent Out Tokyo Olympics 2021 Warnings After Claiming WTA Berlin Title|date = 20 June 2021|access-date = 21 June 2021|archive-date = 24 June 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210624202149/https://www.essentiallysports.com/victoria-azarenka-and-aryna-sabalenka-sent-out-tokyo-olympics-2021-warnings-after-claiming-wta-berlin-title-tennis-news/|url-status = live}}</ref> At [[2021 Bad Homburg Open – Singles|Bad Homburg]], she defeated [[Yuliya Hatouka]] and Alizé Cornet, saving four match points in the process. She then withdrew from her match against [[Sara Sorribes Tormo]], citing an abdominal injury.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.essentiallysports.com/following-her-spectacular-win-victoria-azarenka-pulls-out-from-bad-homburg-open-2021-qfs-wta-tennis-news/|title=Following Her Spectacular Win, Victoria Azarenka Pulls Out From Bad Homburg Open 2021 QFs &#124; Tennis News|date=24 June 2021|website=EssentiallySports}}</ref>

At [[2021 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles|Wimbledon]], she defeated [[Kateryna Kozlova]] in the first round, before falling to Sorana Cîrstea, despite having a 3–1 lead in the third set. At the [[2021 National Bank Open]] in Canada she reached her first Masters WTA 1000 quarterfinal for the season. Seeded 18th at the [[2021 US Open (tennis)|US Open]], Azarenka swept aside [[Tereza Martincová]] (6–4, 6–0), then squeaked past [[Jasmine Paolini]] (6–3, 7–6) before falling to ninth seed [[Garbiñe Muguruza]] in three sets.

At [[2021 BNP Paribas Open|Indian Wells]], she went one step further than in Canada, reaching the semifinals of the tournament for the fourth time in her career defeating again Jessica Pegula. In the semifinal she defeated [[Jeļena Ostapenko]] to reach her third Indian Wells final, which she lost to [[Paula Badosa]]. Only two women had won more matches in Indian Wells overall than her 33: Lindsay Davenport (47) and Maria Sharapova (38).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2288404/two-time-champ-azarenka-storms-past-pegula-becomes-first-player-into-indian-wells-semis|title=Azarenka storms past Pegula, becomes first player into Indian Wells semis|access-date=14 October 2021|archive-date=29 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029175804/https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2288404/two-time-champ-azarenka-storms-past-pegula-becomes-first-player-into-indian-wells-semis|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2289930/azarenka-staves-off-ostapenko-challenge-returns-to-indian-wells-final|title=Azarenka staves off Ostapenko challenge, returns to Indian Wells final|access-date=16 October 2021|archive-date=16 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016070246/https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2289930/azarenka-staves-off-ostapenko-challenge-returns-to-indian-wells-final|url-status=live}}</ref>

===2022: 500th tour-level win ===
[[File:Azarenka RG22 (64) (52144104943).jpg|thumb|upright|Azarenka at the [[2022 French Open]]]]
Azarenka opened her season at the Adelaide International reaching the quarter-finals and losing to Swiatek in three sets. She reached semifinals in the doubles, partnering with Paula Badosa. However, she withdrew from the semis, citing a right thigh injury.<ref>{{cite tweet |author=WTA Insider |user=WTA_insider |number=1479409994336399362 |date=7 January 2022 |title=Victoria Azarenka has withdrawn from doubles in Adelaide due to a right thigh injury. Jurak/Klepac advance to the final by walkover, will face Barty/Sanders for the title. #AdelaideTennis |language=en |access-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107111042/https://twitter.com/WTA_insider/status/1479409994336399362 |archive-date=7 January 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>

At the Australian Open Azarenka reached the fourth round which was her best result since 2016. At the WTA 1000 [[2022 Qatar Total Open|Qatar Open]], she recorded her 500th tour-level match win defeating Yulia Putintseva in the first round.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.tennis.com/baseline/articles/stat-of-the-day-victoria-azarenka-records-500th-tour-level-win-of-career | title=Stat of the Day: Victoria Azarenka records 500th tour-level win of career }}</ref> She withdrew from her second round match, citing a left hip injury.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-22 |title=Kvitova, Azarenka forced out of Qatar Open |url=https://7news.com.au/sport/tennis/azarenka-withdraws-as-seeds-cruise-in-doha-c-5803025 |access-date=2022-05-28 |website=7NEWS |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/kvitova-azarenka-injured-wta-qatar-192023128.html|title=Kvitova and Azarenka injured in WTA Qatar Open, as top seeds progress in Doha|website=uk.sports.yahoo.com|date=22 February 2022 }}</ref>

In her next two tournaments at [[2022 BNP Paribas Open|Indian Wells]] and [[2022 Miami Open|Miami]], she reached the third round. At Miami, she walked off the court while trailing 16-year-old [[Linda Fruhvirtová]] in the third round, despite the umpire asking her to wait for her trainer.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/tennis/disrespectful-victoria-azarenka-slammed-for-abruptly-quitting-storming-off-court/news-story/e05e8ac9eeb40e869271d4524d1fc544|title='Disrespectful' Victoria Azarenka slammed for abruptly quitting, storming off court|date=28 March 2022|website=Fox Sports}}</ref> She said later it was because her personal life was "extremely stressful".<ref>{{cite news |title=Miami Open: Victoria Azarenka says personal life has been 'extremely stressful' after mid-match retirement |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/60898050 |work=BBC Sport |date=28 March 2022}}</ref> Former world No. 5 [[Daniela Hantuchova]] said: <blockquote>"The most disrespectful thing about this is how she walked off the court without really giving a reason (for retiring). I think the WTA will really have to look into this. This one for me is really bizarre and really disrespectful to the crowd, to the umpire and most importantly to Linda (Fruhvirtova). I think Vika (Azarenka) just knows if she kept going this way she would be off the court anyway very shortly."<ref name="auto"/></blockquote> Six months later, former world No. 2 [[Agnieszka Radwanska]] said: "She has done theatre more than once before, she has faked injuries etc...  I think: 'God, girl ... You're 33, you've got everything on the court, you're a mom. And you do something like that!' It is completely incomprehensible to me."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tennisuptodate.com/wta/god-girl-youre-33-youve-got-everything-on-the-court-youre-a-mom-and-you-do-something-like-that-radwanska-on-azarenkas-miami-open-behaviour|title="God, girl ... You're 33, you've got everything on the court, you're a mom. And you do something like that!" – Radwanska on Azarenka's Miami Open behaviour|date=17 September 2022|website=Tennisuptodate.com}}</ref>
During the clay-court season, she reached the round of 16 while playing at the [[2022 Mutua Madrid Open|Madrid Open]] and at the [[2022 Italian Open (tennis)|Italian Open]]. At [[2022 French Open|Roland-Garros]], Azarenka lost in the third round to [[Jil Teichmann]] in a three-set match lasting three hours.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Azarenka and Kerber knocked out at Roland Garros |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/61609237 |access-date=2022-05-28}}</ref>
Azarenka decided not to play any grass-court tournaments due to Wimbledon's ban on Russian and Belarusan players. Azarenka started her North American hardcourt swing at the [[2022 Citi Open]]. She reached the quarterfinals before falling to [[Wang Xiyu]]. She pulled out of the [[2022 National Bank Open|Canadian Open]] due to her travel visa getting declined. At the [[2022 Western & Southern Open|Cincinnati Open]] she fell in the second round to Emma Raducancu. At the [[2022 US Open (tennis)|US Open]] she reached the fourth round with wins over Kostyuk and Martic before falling to Karolina Pliskova in three sets. At the [[2022 Guadalajara Open Akron|Guadalajara Open]], she reached semifinals at the WTA 1000-level for the first time in the season, but lost to eventual champion [[Jessica Pegula]], in straight sets.

===2023: Australian Open semis, WTA 1000 doubles title ===
[[File: Victoria Azarenka (2023 DC Open) 37.jpg | thumb | right | Victoria Azarenka at the 2023 DC Open]]

Seeded 24th, Azarenka returned to the semifinals of the [[2023 Australian Open]] after 10 years. In the tournament she defeated [[Sofia Kenin]], [[Nadia Podoroska]], tenth seed [[Madison Keys]], [[Zhu Lin (tennis)|Zhu Lin]] and third seed [[Jessica Pegula]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3036313/three-takeaways-azarenka-defeats-pegula-to-return-to-australian-open-semis | title=Three takeaways: Azarenka defeats Pegula to return to Australian Open semis }}</ref> The points earned in the tournament moved her up to world No. 16. She lost to 22nd seed [[Elena Rybakina]] in straight sets.

She won her fifth WTA 1000 and tenth doubles title overall, at the [[2023 Mutua Madrid Open]] with [[Beatriz Haddad Maia]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3324706/azarenka-haddad-maia-stymie-top-seeds-gauff-pegula-to-win-madrid | title=Azarenka, Haddad Maia stymie top seeds Gauff, Pegula to win Madrid }}</ref>

===2024: Australian Open fourth round, WTA 1000 semi-finals ===
[[File:Victoria Azarenka (2024 DC Open) 01.jpg | thumb | right | Victoria Azarenka at the 2024 DC Open]]
Azarenka entered the [[2024 Australian Open]] as 18th seed and defeated [[Camila Giorgi]], [[Clara Tauson]] and 11th seed [[Jeļena Ostapenko]] to reach the fourth round where she lost to [[Dayana Yastremska]].<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/68052778.amp | title=Australian Open 2024 results: Dayana Yastremska beats Victoria Azarenka, Elina Svitolina retires | date=22 January 2024 }}</ref>

Following a disappointing second round exit at Indian Wells, Azarenka fought back at the second half of the “Sunshine Double”, the WTA 1000 [[2024 Miami Open]]. Here she reached the semi-final, defeating 7th seed [[Qinwen Zheng]] and 24th seed [[Katie Boulter]] in the third and fourth round, respectively. She then lost to [[Elena Rybakina]], after winning the second set 6-0 and a final set tiebreak.<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3944114/rybakina-fights-off-azarenka-to-make-second-straight-miami-final | title= Rybakina fights off Azarenka to make second straight Miami final }}</ref>

==Playing style==
Azarenka is an [[Tennis strategy#Offensive baseliner|aggressive baseliner]], who is known for hitting the ball hard, flat, and early on the rise.<ref name="fenom">{{cite web|url =http://teamfenom.com/player-program-victoria-azarenka/|title =Player Program: Victoria Azarenka|publisher =Team Fenom|access-date =26 January 2014|archive-date =19 February 2014|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20140219012840/http://teamfenom.com/player-program-victoria-azarenka/|url-status =live}}</ref> Due to her playing style, she typically hits large numbers of winners in any match; despite this, she hits fewer unforced errors than similarly aggressive players, as her game is built around controlled aggression. Despite hitting her groundstrokes with relentless depth and power, Azarenka aims to move her opponents around the court, counterpunching until she can create the opportunity to hit a low-risk winner.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://betting.betfair.com/tennis/victoria-azarenka-betting-odds-tips.html |title="Victoria Azarenka" |access-date=30 November 2014 |archive-date=4 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204164923/https://betting.betfair.com/tennis/victoria-azarenka-betting-odds-tips.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Azarenka's strongest groundstroke is her two-handed backhand, which she uses to dominate opponents on the court; she is widely considered to have one of the greatest backhands of all time. Her signature shot is her backhand down-the-line.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Richard Pagliaro|title=Four rivalries could flourish in 2014|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/tennis/tag/_/name/victoria-azarenka|website=[[ESPN]]|publisher=ESPN|access-date=27 January 2016|date=4 December 2013|archive-date=27 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127174028/http://espn.go.com/blog/tennis/tag/_/name/victoria-azarenka|url-status=live}}</ref> Azarenka also possesses a strong forehand, with which she can rally effectively and hit winners, although her forehand is more vulnerable than her backhand; as such, players who are acquainted with her game target her forehand. Azarenka possesses a balanced first serve, which she improved considerably as her career progressed. Her serve speed peaked at 185 km/h (115 mph) at the [[2024 Australian Open]]. Despite her strong first serve, her second serve is known for its volatility; when nervous, Azarenka typically commits a significant number of double faults. Her inconsistencies on serve are balanced by her return game, with her being described as one of the greatest return players in the history of the WTA Tour. She is known for her ability to neutralise powerful first serves, and punish short second serves.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lastwordonsports.com/tennis/2020/05/04/victoria-azarenka-best-tennis/|title=Will we see elite tennis from Victoria Azarenka again?|work=Last Word on Sports|last1=Davies|first1=Jake|date=4 May 2020|access-date=2 October 2021|archive-date=2 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211002222352/https://lastwordonsports.com/tennis/2020/05/04/victoria-azarenka-best-tennis/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Azarenka is known for her [[Grunting in tennis|intensity]], movement, speed, court coverage, footwork, and balance, allowing her to blend offence and defence effectively, and to execute her aggressive, yet controlled playing style effectively. Despite typically playing from the baseline, Azarenka is a capable net player due to her doubles experience, and she is adept at attacking the net when the opportunity arises. Azarenka is known for her mental strength and competitive spirit, and was described by [[Sloane Stephens]] as a "tough competitor".<ref>{{cite news|url =http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11189361|archive-url =https://archive.today/20140126205643/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11189361|archive-date =26 January 2014|title =Azarenka ends tense rematch with a little bling|work=[[The New Zealand Herald]]|date=20 January 2014|access-date =26 January 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> Azarenka prefers to play on hard courts, where the regular bounce and moderate pace suit her aggressive, yet measured, playing style. Azarenka is commonly regarded as a hard court specialist, due to the fact that all but one of her 21 singles titles have been won on hard courts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/tennis/08/02/asarenka.wins.final.sharapova/index.html|title=Sharapova thrashed in Stanford final|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=2 August 2010|access-date=16 August 2020|archive-date=23 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201123014637/http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/tennis/08/02/asarenka.wins.final.sharapova/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Due to her strong two-handed backhand, exceptional return game, mental strength, and preference for hard courts, she has been compared to [[Novak Djokovic]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tennisviewmag.com/tennis-view-magazine/article/not-only-one-parallels-between-djokovic-and-azarenka|title=Not the Only One – Parallels Between Djokovic and Azarenka|last1=Skelton|first1=Chris|work=Tennis View Magazine|date=May–June 2012|access-date=2 October 2021|archive-date=2 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211002222405/http://www.tennisviewmag.com/tennis-view-magazine/article/not-only-one-parallels-between-djokovic-and-azarenka|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Endorsements and earnings==
Azarenka is one of the most profitable stars in women's tennis. Azarenka is endorsed by [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]] for clothing, footwear, and apparel, and is frequently featured in promotional material for the company. [[Red Bull]] entered into a deal with Azarenka in January 2013, making her the first tennis player sponsor for the beverage and sports investment giant. Throughout her career, Azarenka has been sponsored by numerous racquet companies: from the start of her junior career, up to 2012, she was sponsored by [[Head (company)|Head]], and used the Head Extreme racquet. From 2012 to 2017, she was sponsored by [[Wilson Sporting Goods|Wilson]], using the Wilson Ultra 100 racquet. Upon her return to tennis after pregnancy in 2017, Azarenka signed an endorsement deal with [[Yonex]] for racquets, using the EZONE 100 racquet. She switched back to the Wilson Ultra 100 in 2018, although she was not under contract with the company; after her successful 2020 season, she became endorsed by Wilson once again. Other endorsement partners include [[American Express]], [[Citizen Watch]], and Six Star Pro Nutrition; she was also endorsed by the investment company Instaforex from 2013 to 2016. Citizen Watch released an exclusive range of watches designed by Azarenka in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sklar |first=Samantha |date=2014-08-27 |title=Azarenka Partners With Citizen on Limited Edition Watch Release |url=https://newyorktennismagazine.com/article/azarenka-partners-citizen-limited-edition-watch-release/ |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=newyorktennismagazine.com}}</ref>

In August 2013, Azarenka was named the fourth highest paid female athlete in the world by ''[[Forbes]]'' magazine, with total earnings of $15.7 million from 2012 to 2013; her prize money constituted $6.7 million, whilst her growing endorsements equaled $9 million. Azarenka's $7.9 million prize money haul in 2012 was a single year record for a female athlete in any sport, and remains the sixth highest single year total earned in WTA history. With over $28.1 million in prize money, Azarenka is seventh on the list of all-time WTA prize money leaders.<ref>{{cite news|title=Belarus' Azarenka fourth on Forbes' list of highest-paid sportswomen|date=6 August 2013|url=http://news.belta.by/en/news/sport?id=722711|access-date=15 September 2013|work=Belta|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131024123902/http://news.belta.by/en/news/sport?id=722711|archive-date=24 October 2013}}</ref>

==Coaching==
Azarenka has had several coaches through the years. From 2005 to 2009, she was coached by [[António van Grichen]], and she was coached by [[Sam Sumyk]] from 2010 to 2015, with whom she won her two Grand Slam titles, and reached No. 1 in the world; their partnership finished after an injury plagued 2014 season. She was coached by [[Wim Fissette]] from 2015 to 2016, until she became pregnant, and, upon her return from pregnancy in 2017, she was coached by [[Michael Joyce (tennis)|Michael Joyce]]. In November 2018, Azarenka reunited with Fissette<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wtatennis.com/news/coaching-roundup-azarenka-reunites-fissette-svitolina-gives-bettles-boost-bertens-bouchard-more|title=Women's Tennis News &#124; WTA Tennis|access-date=7 November 2018|archive-date=7 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107185327/http://www.wtatennis.com/news/coaching-roundup-azarenka-reunites-fissette-svitolina-gives-bettles-boost-bertens-bouchard-more|url-status=live}}</ref> until December 2019, when he became Naomi Osaka's coach.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Karthikeyan|first=Rishi|date=2019-12-14|title=Naomi Osaka Appoints a New Member in Her Coaching Team Ahead of Australian Open 2020|url=https://www.essentiallysports.com/naomi-osaka-appoints-a-new-member-in-her-coaching-team-ahead-of-australian-open-2020/|access-date=2020-09-12|website=EssentiallySports|language=en-US|archive-date=28 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128234030/https://www.essentiallysports.com/naomi-osaka-appoints-a-new-member-in-her-coaching-team-ahead-of-australian-open-2020/|url-status=live}}</ref> In February 2020, Azarenka announced [[Dorian Descloix]] as her new coach, and has experienced renewed success with Descloix, returning to the upper echelon of women's tennis.<ref>{{Cite web|date=8 September 2020|title=Press Conference: Dorian Descloix (Azarenka's Coach)|url=https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/interviews/2020-09-08/2020-09-08_.html|website=US Open|access-date=12 September 2020|archive-date=4 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204225727/https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/interviews/2020-09-08/2020-09-08_.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Azarenka split from Descloix in October 2021, instead choosing to work with [[Maxime Tchoutakian (tennis coach)|Maxime Tchoutakian]].<ref>{{cite tweet |author=Oliver {{!}} Tennis |user=insidetennis99 |number=1450936360211304454 |date=20 October 2021 |title=Dorian Descloix announces on social media that he and Vika Azarenka stopped working together. While Azarenka now works with Maxime Tchoutakian; Descloix seems to be Monica Puig's new coach... https://t.co/NhySOsP2Fz https://t.co/6YzCmSsqKY |language=en |access-date=14 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026134144/https://twitter.com/insidetennis99/status/1450936360211304454 |archive-date=26 October 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Rivalries==
Throughout her career, Victoria Azarenka has established rivalries with other players on the WTA Tour. Her rivalries with Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova<ref>[http://www.espn.co.uk/tennis/sport/story/173925.html WTA big three one step away from a major rivalry] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122191434/http://www.espn.co.uk/tennis/sport/story/173925.html |date=22 January 2013 }} ESPN.co.uk</ref> are among the most significant on the WTA Tour, as all three players have played each other at least 15 times.<ref name="SerenaH2H">{{cite web|url=http://tennis.matchstat.com/Compare/-241/-5416/-6586|title=Head-to-head stats Serena Williams vs. Victoria Azarenka at Matchstat.com|publisher=Tennis.matchstat.com|access-date=18 October 2012|archive-date=31 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031011024/http://tennis.matchstat.com/Compare/-241/-5416/-6586|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="SharapovaH2H">{{cite web|url=http://tennis.wettpoint.com/en/h2h/79427-101836.html|title=M. Sharapova – V. Azarenka Head to Head Game Statistics, Tennis Tournament Results – Tennis Statistics Wettpoint|publisher=Tennis.wettpoint.com|access-date=15 December 2012|archive-date=23 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123041023/http://tennis.wettpoint.com/en/h2h/79427-101836.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Azarenka vs. Serena Williams===
'''List of all matches'''

{|class="sortable collapsible sortable wikitable"
|-style=background:#eeeeee
!No.
!Year
!style=width:180px|Tournament
!Surface
!Round
!Winner
!Score
!V. A.
!S. W.
|-bgcolor=#F3E6D7
|1.
|[[2008 Australian Open|2008]]
|[[Australian Open]]
|Hard
|R32
|Williams
|6–3, 6–4
|0
|'''1'''
|-bgcolor=#F3E6D7
|2.
|[[2009 Australian Open|2009]]
|[[Australian Open]]
|Hard
|R16
|Williams
|3–6, 4–2 ret.
|0
|'''2'''
|-
|3.
|[[2009 Sony Ericsson Open|2009]]
|[[Sony Ericsson Open|Miami]]
|Hard
|F
|Azarenka
|6–3, 6–1
|'''1'''
|2
|-bgcolor=#F3E6D7
|4.
|[[2009 Wimbledon Championships|2009]]
|[[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]]
|Grass
|QF
|Williams
|6–2, 6–3
|1 
|'''3'''
|-bgcolor=#F3E6D7
|5.
|[[2010 Australian Open|2010]]
|[[Australian Open]]
|Hard
|QF
|Williams
|4–6, 7–6<sup>(7–4)</sup>, 6–2
|1
|'''4'''
|-
|6.
|[[2011 Rogers Cup|2011]]
|[[Rogers Cup|Toronto]]
|Hard
|SF
|Williams
|6–3, 6–3
|1
|'''5'''
|-bgcolor=#F3E6D7
|7.
|[[2011 US Open (tennis)|2011]]
|[[US Open (tennis)|US Open]]
|Hard
|R32
|Williams
|6–1, 7–6<sup>(7–5)</sup>
|1
|'''6'''
|-
|8. 
|[[2012 Mutua Madrid Open|2012]]
|[[Madrid Open (tennis)|Madrid]]
|Clay (blue)
|F
|Williams
|6–1, 6–3
|1
|'''7'''
|-bgcolor=#F3E6D7
|9.
|[[2012 Wimbledon Championships|2012]]
|[[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]]
|Grass
|SF
|Williams
|6–3, 7–6<sup>(8–6)</sup>
|1
|'''8'''
|-
|10.
|[[Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics|2012]]
|[[Summer Olympics]]
|Grass
|SF
|Williams
|6–1, 6–2
|1
|'''9'''
|-bgcolor=#F3E6D7
|11.
|[[2012 US Open (tennis)|2012]]
|[[US Open (tennis)|US Open]]
|Hard
|F
|Williams
|6–2, 2–6, 7–5
|1
|'''10'''
|-
|12.
|[[2012 WTA Championships|2012]]
|[[WTA Finals]]
|Hard (i)
|RR
|Williams
|6–4, 6–4
|1
|'''11'''
|-
|–
|[[2013 Brisbane International|2013]]
|[[Brisbane International|Brisbane]]
|Hard
|SF
|''Williams''
|w/o
|1
|11
|-
|13.
|[[2013 Qatar Total Open|2013]]
|[[Qatar Total Open|Doha]]
|Hard
|F
|Azarenka
|7–6<sup>(8–6)</sup>, 2–6, 6–3
|'''2'''
|11
|-
|14.
|[[2013 Internazionali BNL d'Italia|2013]]
|[[Italian Open (tennis)|Rome]]
|Clay
|F
|Williams
|6–1, 6–3
|2
|'''12'''
|-
|15.
|[[2013 Western & Southern Open|2013]]
|[[Western & Southern Open|Cincinnati]]
|Hard
|F
|Azarenka
|2–6, 6–2, 7–6<sup>(8–6)</sup>
|'''3'''
|12
|-bgcolor=#F3E6D7
|16.
|[[2013 US Open (tennis)|2013]]
|[[US Open (tennis)|US Open]]
|Hard
|F
|Williams
|7–5, 6–7<sup>(6–8)</sup>, 6–1
|3
|'''13'''
|-
|17.
|[[2014 Brisbane International|2014]]
|[[Brisbane International|Brisbane]]
|Hard
|F
|Williams
|6–4, 7–5
|3
|'''14'''
|-
|18.
|[[2015 Mutua Madrid Open|2015]]
|[[Madrid Open (tennis)|Madrid]]
|Clay
|R16
|Williams
|7–6<sup>(7–5)</sup>, 3–6, 7–6<sup>(7–1)</sup>
|3
|'''15'''
|-bgcolor=#F3E6D7
|19.
|[[2015 French Open|2015]]
|[[French Open]]
|Clay
|R32
|Williams
|3–6, 6–4, 6–2
|3
|'''16'''
|-bgcolor=#F3E6D7
|20.
|[[2015 Wimbledon Championships|2015]]
|[[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]]
|Grass
|QF
|Williams
|3–6, 6–2, 6–3
|3
|'''17'''
|-
|21.
|[[2016 BNP Paribas Open|2016]]
|[[Indian Wells Masters|Indian Wells]]
|Hard
|F
|Azarenka
|6–4, 6–4
|'''4'''
|17
|-
|22.
|[[2019 BNP Paribas Open|2019]]
|[[Indian Wells Masters|Indian Wells]]
|Hard
|R64
|Williams
|7–5, 6–3
|4
|'''18'''
|-bgcolor=#F3E6D7
|23.
|[[2020 US Open (tennis)|2020]]
|[[US Open (tennis)|US Open]]
|Hard
|SF
|Azarenka
|1–6, 6–3, 6–3
|'''5'''
|18
|}

Azarenka's most notable rivalry is against Serena Williams. They have played 23 times, including 11 times in Grand Slams, with Serena Williams leading their head-to-head 18–5, 10–1 in Grand Slams, and 5–4 in finals.<ref name="SerenaH2H"/> Their first meeting was at the [[2008 Australian Open]], with then-defending champion Williams winning in straight sets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-01-18/serena-stays-on-course-in-title-defence/1016674|title=Serena stays on course in title defence|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=18 January 2008|access-date=18 October 2012|archive-date=1 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001084742/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-01-18/serena-stays-on-course-in-title-defence/1016674|url-status=live}}</ref> Their next meeting would also be at the Australian Open, in the fourth round in [[2009 Australian Open|2009]], and again Williams was victorious when the Belarusian was forced to retire due to illness, having won the first set but trailing 2–4 in the second.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-01-26/azarenka-bows-out-hurt-williams-advances/2586810|title=Azarenka bows out hurt, Serena advances|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=26 January 2009|access-date=18 October 2012|archive-date=1 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001084748/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-01-26/azarenka-bows-out-hurt-williams-advances/2586810|url-status=live}}</ref> However, {{frac|2|1|2}} months later, Azarenka would achieve her first victory in the rivalry, defeating the injured American in straight sets in the final of the [[2009 Sony Ericsson Open – Women's singles|Sony Ericsson Open]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/wtatour/5111542/Victoria-Azarenka-the-big-noise-after-beating-Serena-Williams-to-win-Miami-title.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/wtatour/5111542/Victoria-Azarenka-the-big-noise-after-beating-Serena-Williams-to-win-Miami-title.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title= Victoria Azarenka the big noise after beating Serena Williams to win Miami title|work=The Daily Telegraph|author=Mark Hodgkinson|date=5 April 2009|access-date=6 July 2009|location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Williams later won a quarterfinal match between the pair at [[2009 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]] on her way to winning this championship.

The two played in the [[2010 Australian Open – Women's singles#Finals|2010 quarterfinals]]. Azarenka had won the first set and was leading in the second set before Williams won the three-set match, and she won the title for the second consecutive year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-01-27/serena-pulls-off-miracle-comeback/311102|title=Serena pulls off miracle comeback|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=27 January 2010|access-date=18 October 2012|archive-date=28 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131028235525/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-01-27/serena-pulls-off-miracle-comeback/311102|url-status=live}}</ref> Her dominance continued with straight-sets victories at the [[2011 Rogers Cup|Rogers Cup]] and the [[2011 US Open (tennis)|US Open]] in 2011, both times coming after Williams' ranking had plummeted to world No. 175 following [[2011 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]].<ref>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2011/jul/04/serena-williams-womens-rankings?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487|title=Serena Williams plummets to 14-year low in women's rankings|work=The Guardian|location=London|date=4 July 2011|access-date=18 December 2016|archive-date=13 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313065815/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2011/jul/04/serena-williams-womens-rankings?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487|url-status=live}}</ref>

The rivalry reached its peak in 2012 with the pair meeting five times, with Serena Williams victorious on each occasion: the [[2012 Madrid Masters|Madrid Masters]] final, the [[2012 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]] semifinals,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/jul/05/serena-williams-victoria-azarenka-wimbledon-live|title=Serena Williams v Victoria Azarenka: Wimbledon semi-final – as it happened|author=Katy Murrells|work=The Guardian|date=5 July 2012|location=London|access-date=18 December 2016|archive-date=7 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307152507/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/jul/05/serena-williams-victoria-azarenka-wimbledon-live|url-status=live}}</ref> the [[Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics|Olympics]] semifinals,<ref>{{cite web|author=Hannah Wilks|url=http://blogs.tennis.com/racquet_reaction/2012/08/olympics-s-williams-d-azarenka.html|title=Racquet Reaction – Olympics: S. Williams d. Azarenka|publisher=Blogs.tennis.com|date=3 August 2012|access-date=18 October 2012|archive-date=5 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105134305/http://blogs.tennis.com/racquet_reaction/2012/08/olympics-s-williams-d-azarenka.html|url-status=live}}</ref> the [[2012 US Open (tennis)|US Open]] final,<ref>{{cite news|author=Steve Busfield in New York|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/sep/09/serena-williams-victoria-azarenka-live-us-open-final|title=Serena Williams beats Victoria Azarenka to win US Open – as it happened|work=The Guardian|date=9 September 2012|location=London|access-date=18 December 2016|archive-date=12 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312111437/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/sep/09/serena-williams-victoria-azarenka-live-us-open-final|url-status=live}}</ref> described by many as the best match of the year on WTA, and in the round-robin stage of the [[2012 WTA Tour Championships|year-end championships]]. They had been due to meet in the semifinals of the [[2013 Brisbane International]], before Azarenka was forced to withdraw due to a toe infection.<ref name="injured2013">{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-01-04/azarenka-out-of-brisbane-international/4453310?section=sport|title=Azarenka scratched from Brisbane International|work=ABC News|date=4 January 2013|access-date=7 January 2013|archive-date=5 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130105072133/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-01-04/azarenka-out-of-brisbane-international/4453310?section=sport|url-status=live}}</ref> At the [[2013 Qatar Total Open|Qatar Total Open]], Azarenka scored just her second victory over Williams in a WTA Tour match, winning in the championship match in three sets.<ref name="Doha2013">{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-18/azarenka-topples-serena-to-win-in-doha/4524504?section=sport|title=Azarenka topples Serena to win in Doha|work=ABC Grandstand Sport|date=17 February 2013|access-date=17 February 2013|archive-date=28 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131028235527/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-18/azarenka-topples-serena-to-win-in-doha/4524504?section=sport|url-status=live}}</ref> They next faced off on clay at [[2013 Internazionali BNL d'Italia]] which Williams won in straight sets.

Azarenka's third victory over Williams came in the final of the [[2013 Western & Southern Open|Western and Southern Open]]; again, a third set was required to decide the outcome, and on this occasion a final-set tiebreak proved to be the difference. However, in a rematch of [[2012 US Open (tennis)|the previous year's final]], Williams got her revenge, defeating Azarenka in the final of the [[2013 US Open (tennis)|US Open]], which, like the previous year, also required a third set. Azarenka then lost to Williams again in the championship match of the [[2014 Brisbane International|Brisbane International]] early in 2014; this defeat marked Azarenka's first at the tournament.{{CN|date=April 2025}}

The pair did not play again until the [[2015 Mutua Madrid Open|2015 Madrid Open]] some 16 months later; Azarenka lost a third round match against Williams in three sets despite holding three match points on her own serve in the final set.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-07/kyrgios-stuns-federer-in-madrid-second-round/6450816?section=sport|title=Nick Kyrgios stuns top seed Roger Federer at Madrid Masters to move to third round|publisher=ABC Grandstand Sport (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)|date=7 May 2015|access-date=7 May 2015|archive-date=18 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518214429/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-07/kyrgios-stuns-federer-in-madrid-second-round/6450816?section=sport|url-status=live}}</ref>
They then played in the third round of the 2015 French Open where Azarenka led by a set and a break before going on to lose 10 of the next 12 games.  In the quarterfinals of the [[2015 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles|2015 Wimbledon Championships]], she once again was one set up on Williams, but proceeded to lose the match in three sets.

For their 21st meeting, they faced off in the final of the [[2016 BNP Paribas Open – Women's singles|2016 Indian Wells Open]]. Victoria earned her fourth win, becoming the first player to defeat Serena four times in a final.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-21/victoria-azarenka-stuns-serena-williams-to-win-indian-wells-wta/7262712|title = Azarenka stuns Serena Williams to win Indian Wells|publisher = [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date = 20 March 2016|access-date = 21 March 2016|archive-date = 21 March 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160321165221/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-21/victoria-azarenka-stuns-serena-williams-to-win-indian-wells-wta/7262712|url-status = live}}</ref> This was followed by another meeting in the second round of [[2019 BNP Paribas Open|Indian Wells]] in 2019, which Serena won in two very tight sets.

In 2020, a resurgent Azarenka recorded her first victory against Williams in a Grand Slam, winning in three sets in the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]] semifinal.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Azarenka ousts Serena, books Osaka US Open final clash|url=http://www.wtatennis.com/news/1821691/azarenka-ousts-serena-books-osaka-us-open-final-clash|access-date=2020-09-11|website=Women's Tennis Association|language=en|archive-date=11 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200911161724/https://www.wtatennis.com/news/1821691/azarenka-ousts-serena-books-osaka-us-open-final-clash|url-status=live}}</ref>

Despite the lopsided record (18–5 in Williams' favor), many have said that Azarenka is the only player with the ability to consistently challenge Serena.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thenational.ae/sport/tennis/azarenkas-win-over-williams-a-shot-in-the-arm-for-womens-tennis-following-sharapova-scandal |title=Azarenka's win over Williams a shot in the arm for women's tennis following Sharapova scandal |date=21 March 2016 |access-date=21 March 2016 |archive-date=22 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322004513/http://www.thenational.ae/sport/tennis/azarenkas-win-over-williams-a-shot-in-the-arm-for-womens-tennis-following-sharapova-scandal |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Azarenka vs. Bartoli===
Azarenka and [[Marion Bartoli]] played 12 times from 2007 to 2012. Azarenka led the head-to-head 9–3 overall and 1–0 in the Grand Slams.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tennis.wettpoint.com/en/h2h/101836-78856.html|title=V. Azarenka – M. Bartoli Head to Head Game Statistics, Tennis Tournament Results – Tennis Statistics Wettpoint|publisher=Tennis.wettpoint.com|access-date=1 November 2012|archive-date=29 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120429045200/http://tennis.wettpoint.com/en/h2h/101836-78856.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Azarenka dominated the early rivalry, winning the first six meetings between the pair, including in the second round of the [[2007 Australian Open]], the final of the [[2009 Brisbane International]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-01-10/teenage-azarenka-wins-brisbane-international/262260|title=Teenage Azarenka wins Brisbane International|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=10 January 2009|access-date=1 November 2012|archive-date=10 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110090904/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-01-10/teenage-azarenka-wins-brisbane-international/262260|url-status=live}}</ref> and all four matches that eventuated in 2010. The win in Brisbane marked Azarenka's first success in a WTA Tour final, having previously lost three finals. Bartoli got her first win over Azarenka in Eastbourne in 2011, winning after Azarenka retired with injury.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tennis.wettpoint.com/en/games/971422.html|title=V. Azarenka – M. Bartoli Match Result, Statistics 16/06/2011 – Tennis Statistics Wettpoint|publisher=Tennis.wettpoint.com|access-date=1 November 2012|archive-date=17 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717093049/http://tennis.wettpoint.com/en/games/971422.html|url-status=live}}</ref> At the [[2011 WTA Tour Championships]], Bartoli qualified as a reserve for Maria Sharapova and in the only match she played, she upset Azarenka in three sets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tennisworldusa.org/WTA-Istanbul---Azarenka-loses-to-reserve-player-Bartoli-articolo2061.html|title=WTA Istanbul – Azarenka loses to reserve player Bartoli|publisher=Tennisworldusa.org|date=29 October 2011|access-date=1 November 2012|archive-date=4 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104195331/http://www.tennisworldusa.org/WTA-Istanbul---Azarenka-loses-to-reserve-player-Bartoli-articolo2061.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The match had no meaning because Bartoli could not qualify for the semi-finals as Sharapova had lost her two matches and Azarenka had already qualified for the semi-finals.

The pair played three times in 2012, with Azarenka winning two of the matches. Bartoli's victory in the [[2012 Sony Ericsson Open|Miami]] quarterfinals was significant though, as it snapped Azarenka's 26-match winning streak to start the season. Bartoli won in straight sets to record what was at the time her third victory over a reigning world No. 1.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-29/azarenka27s-streak-snapped-by-bartoli/3920910|title=Azarenka's streak snapped by Bartoli – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=29 March 2012|access-date=1 November 2012|archive-date=5 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105030137/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-29/azarenka27s-streak-snapped-by-bartoli/3920910|url-status=live}}</ref> Their last meeting was in the semi-finals of the [[2012 China Open (tennis)|China Open]] with Azarenka avenging the Miami loss on her way to winning the title.<ref>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|url=https://news.yahoo.com/azarenka-beats-bartoli-set-china-open-final-against-132009832--spt.html|title=Azarenka beats Bartoli to set up China Open final against Sharapova|work=Yahoo!News|date=6 October 2012|access-date=15 January 2017|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305000005/http://news.yahoo.com/azarenka-beats-bartoli-set-china-open-final-against-132009832--spt.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Azarenka vs. Sharapova===
'''List of all matches'''

{|class="sortable collapsible sortable wikitable"
|-style=background:#eeeeee
!No.
!Year
!style=width:120px|Tournament
!Surface
!Round
!Winner
!Score
!Length
!V. A.
!M. S.
|-
|1.
|[[2007 Kremlin Cup|2007]]
|[[Kremlin Cup|Moscow]]
|Carpet
|R16
|Azarenka
|7–6<sup>(11–9)</sup>, 6–2
|1:49
|'''1'''
|0
|-
|2.
|[[2009 LA Women's Tennis Championships|2009]]
|Los Angeles
|Hard
|R32
|Sharapova
|6–7<sup>(4–7)</sup>, 6–4, 6–2
|2:32
|1
|'''1'''
|-
|3.
|[[2009 China Open (tennis)|2009]]
|[[China Open (tennis)|Beijing]]
|Hard
|R32
|Sharapova
|6–3, 6–7<sup>(5–7)</sup>, 7–5
|2:56
|1
|'''2'''
|-
|4.
|[[2010 Bank of the West Classic|2010]]
|[[Bank of the West Classic|Stanford]]
|Hard
|F
|Azarenka
|6–4, 6–1
|1:27
|'''2'''
|2
|-
|5.
|[[2011 Sony Ericsson Open|2011]]
|[[Sony Ericsson Open|Miami]]
|Hard
|F
|Azarenka
|6–1, 6–4
|1:46
|'''3'''
|2
|-
|6.
|[[2011 Internazionali BNL d'Italia|2011]]
|[[Italian Open (tennis)|Rome]]
|Clay
|QF
|Sharapova
|4–6, 3–0 RET
|1:23
|3
|'''3'''
|-bgcolor=#F3E6D7
|7.
|[[2012 Australian Open|2012]]
|[[Australian Open]]
|Hard
|F
|Azarenka
|6–3, 6–0
|1:22
|'''4'''
|3
|-
|8.
|[[2012 BNP Paribas Open|2012]]
|[[Indian Wells Masters|Indian Wells]]
|Hard
|F
|Azarenka
|6–2, 6–3
|1:26
|'''5'''
|3
|-
|9.
|[[2012 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix|2012]]
|[[Women's Stuttgart Open|Stuttgart]]
|Clay
|F
|Sharapova
|6–1, 6–4
|1:24
|5
|'''4'''
|-bgcolor=#F3E6D7
|10.
|[[2012 US Open (tennis)|2012]]
|[[US Open (tennis)|US Open]]
|Hard
|SF
|Azarenka
|3–6, 6–2, 6–4
|2:42
|'''6'''
|4
|-bgcolor=
|11.
|[[2012 China Open (tennis)|2012]]
|[[China Open (tennis)|Beijing]]
|Hard
|F
|Azarenka
|6–3, 6–1
|1:27
|'''7'''
|4
|-
|12.
|[[2012 WTA Tour Championships|2012]]
|[[WTA Tour Championships|Istanbul]]
|Hard
|SF
|Sharapova
|6–4, 6–2
|1:36
|7
|'''5'''
|-bgcolor=#F3E6D7
|13.
|[[2013 French Open|2013]]
|[[French Open]]
|Clay
|SF
|Sharapova
|6–1, 2–6, 6–4
|2:10
|7
|'''6'''
|-
|14. 
|[[2015 BNP Paribas Open|2015]]
|[[Indian Wells Masters|Indian Wells]]
|Hard
|R32
|Sharapova
|6–4, 6–3
|1:52
|7
|'''7'''
|-
|15.
|[[2015 Internazionali BNL d'Italia|2015]]
|[[Italian Open (tennis)|Rome]]
|Clay
|QF
|Sharapova
|6–3, 6–2
|1:32
|7
|'''8'''
|}

One of women's tennis most prominent rivalries during the 2010s was the one between Azarenka and Maria Sharapova. They played 15 times from 2007 to 2015. The head-to-head finished at 7–8 overall in Sharapova's favor, but Azarenka led 2–1 in the Grand Slams and 5–1 in finals.<ref name="SharapovaH2H"/> They ranked as the top two women in the world from January 2012 to January 2013 except for a brief period in July and August when Agnieszka Radwańska was the world No. 2 behind Azarenka.

Azarenka won their first meeting in 2007, in the second round of the [[2007 Kremlin Cup|Kremlin Cup]] in Moscow.<ref name="2007Kremlin2"/><ref name="2007Kremlin">{{cite web|url=http://www.tennis-x.com/story/2007-10-11/j.php|title=Sharapova Stunned by Azarenka; Mauresmo Also Bounced at Kremlin Cup|publisher=Tennis-x.com|access-date=15 December 2012|archive-date=10 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810044222/http://www.tennis-x.com/story/2007-10-11/j.php|url-status=live}}</ref> Their first meeting in a WTA Tour final came at the [[2010 Bank of the West Classic]] in Stanford, which Azarenka won for her first (and fourth career) title that year.<ref>{{cite news|last=Cronin|first=Matthew|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tennis-women-stanford-idUSTRE67020H20100801|title=Azarenka thrashes Sharapova to win in Stanford|work=Reuters|date=1 August 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/tennis/08/02/asarenka.wins.final.sharapova/index.html|title=Sharapova thrashed in Stanford final|publisher=CNN|date=2 August 2010|access-date=15 December 2012|archive-date=10 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810145323/http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/tennis/08/02/asarenka.wins.final.sharapova/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Azarenka also defeated Sharapova in the [[2011 Sony Ericsson Open – Women's singles|Miami Masters]] final in 2011 to win her second title at that tournament.<ref>{{cite web|author=Tennis-X.com|url=http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2011-04-02/6706.php|title=Sharapova Shrieked-Down by Azarenka in Miami Final|publisher=Tennis-x.com|access-date=15 December 2012|archive-date=3 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403133555/http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2011-04-02/6706.php|url-status=live}}</ref>

The rivalry between the two players started to intensify in [[2012 WTA Tour|2012]], with six meetings between the pair that year, four of them being in finals. Azarenka won four of the six meetings that year, three of them in finals. Their most famous meeting occurred early that year, in the final of the [[2012 Australian Open – Women's singles|2012 Australian Open]]. This match had historical proportions as Azarenka would become the first player from her country to either win a Grand Slam singles title or become world No. 1, or Sharapova would win her second title at the tournament, having won in [[2008 Australian Open – Women's singles|2008]]. Ultimately, Azarenka won the match, beating Sharapova in straight sets in one hour and twenty-two minutes and in doing so claimed the world No. 1 ranking for the first time.<ref>{{cite news|last=Briggs|first=Simon|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/australianopen/9046222/Australian-Open-2012-Victoria-Azarenka-crowned-No1-after-victory-over-Maria-Sharapova.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/australianopen/9046222/Australian-Open-2012-Victoria-Azarenka-crowned-No1-after-victory-over-Maria-Sharapova.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Australian Open 2012: Victoria Azarenka crowned No1 after victory over Maria Sharapova|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=28 January 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Azarenka would defeat Sharapova in two further finals, at [[2012 BNP Paribas Open – Women's singles|Indian Wells]], in [[2012 China Open – Women's singles|Beijing]] however Sharapova would prevail in the final of the [[2012 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix]]. Their two non-finals were split, Azarenka winning at the [[2012 US Open – Women's singles|US Open]]<ref>{{cite news|author=US Open|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/usopen/9529725/US-Open-2012-Victoria-Azarenka-beats-Maria-Sharapova-to-reach-first-final-at-Flushing-Meadows.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/usopen/9529725/US-Open-2012-Victoria-Azarenka-beats-Maria-Sharapova-to-reach-first-final-at-Flushing-Meadows.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=US Open 2012: Victoria Azarenka beats Maria Sharapova to reach first final at Flushing Meadows|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=7 September 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and Sharapova winning at the [[2012 WTA Tour Championships|year-end championships]].

The pair's only meeting in 2013 did not come until the semifinals of the [[2013 French Open|French Open]], where Sharapova won in three sets. This marked the first time Sharapova had beaten Azarenka at a Grand Slam, and improved to 3–0 against her on clay. Sharapova won their next meeting in the third round of the [[2015 BNP Paribas Open]] in straight sets.<ref name="BNPPO2015">{{cite web|url=http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/4568017/title/sharapova-wins-azarenka-blockbuster|title=SHARAPOVA WINS AZARENKA BLOCKBUSTER|publisher=Women's Tennis Association|date=16 March 2015|access-date=17 March 2015|archive-date=19 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150319180613/http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/4568017/title/sharapova-wins-azarenka-blockbuster|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Azarenka vs. Li===
'''List of all matches'''

{|class="sortable collapsible sortable wikitable"
|-style=background:#eeeeee
!No.
!Year
!style=width:120px|Tournament
!Surface
!Round
!Winner
!Score
!Length
!V.A.
!L.N.
|-
|1.
|[[2008 Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts|2008]]
|[[Brisbane International|Gold Coast]]
|Hard
|F
|Li
|4–6, 6–3, 6–4
|N/A
|0
|'''1'''
|-
|2.
|[[2009 Toray Pan Pacific Open|2009]]
|[[Pan Pacific Open|Tokyo]]
|Hard
|QF
|Li
|7–6<sup>(9–7)</sup>, 4–6, 7–6<sup>(7–4)</sup>
|N/A
|0
|'''2'''
|-
|3.
|[[2010 Rogers Cup|2010]]
|[[Canadian Open (tennis)|Montreal]]
|Hard
|R16
|Azarenka
|6–3, 6–3
|1:24
|'''1'''
|2
|-bgcolor=#F3E6D7
|4.
|[[2011 Australian Open|2011]]
|[[Australian Open]]
|Hard
|R16
|Li
|6–3, 6–3
|N/A
|1
|'''3'''
|-bgcolor=#F3E6D7
|5.
|[[2011 French Open|2011]]
|[[French Open]]
|Clay
|QF
|Li
|7–5, 6–2
|N/A
|1
|'''4'''
|-
|6.
|[[2011 WTA Tour Championships|2011]]
|[[WTA Tour Championships|Istanbul]]
|Hard
|RR
|Azarenka
|6–2, 6–2
|N/A
|'''2'''
|4
|-
|7.
|[[2012 Apia International Sydney|2012]]
|[[Sydney International|Sydney]]
|Hard
|F
|Azarenka
|6–2, 1–6, 6–3
|1:56
|'''3'''
|4
|-
|8.
|[[2012 Mutua Madrid Open|2012]]
|[[WTA Madrid Open (tennis)|Madrid]]
|Clay
|QF
|Azarenka
|3–6, 6–3, 6–3
|1:54
|'''4'''
|4
|-
|9.
|[[2012 WTA Tour Championships|2012]]
|[[WTA Tour Championships|Istanbul]]
|Hard
|RR
|Azarenka
|7–6<sup>(7–4)</sup>, 6–3
|N/A
|'''5'''
|4
|-bgcolor=#F3E6D7
|10.
|[[2013 Australian Open|2013]]
|[[Australian Open]]
|Hard
|F
|Azarenka
|4–6, 6–4, 6–3
|2:40
|'''6'''
|4
|-
|11.
|[[2013 WTA Tour Championships|2013]]
|[[WTA Tour Championships|Istanbul]]
|Hard
|RR
|Li
|6–2, 6–1
|N/A
|6
|'''5'''
|}

Azarenka and [[Li Na]] played 11 times from 2008 to 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tennis.wettpoint.com/en/h2h/101836-100240.html|title=V. Azarenka – N. Li Head to Head Game Statistics, Tennis Tournament Results – Tennis Statistics Wettpoint|work=wettpoint.com|access-date=6 February 2013|archive-date=29 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129011529/http://tennis.wettpoint.com/en/h2h/101836-100240.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Azarenka led the head-to-head 6–5 overall, and 2–1 in championship matches (all of which reached a deciding set), but trailed 1–2 in Grand Slam matches.

Their first meeting was in the final of the [[2008 Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts]] tournament (which has since been renamed as the Brisbane International), which Li Na won in three sets after Azarenka had won the first.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-01-05/li-storms-to-victory-in-gc-hardcourts-final/1003664|title=Li storms to victory in GC Hardcourts final|work=ABC News|date=5 January 2008|access-date=6 February 2013|archive-date=2 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202163500/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-01-05/li-storms-to-victory-in-gc-hardcourts-final/1003664|url-status=live}}</ref> Azarenka's first victory over Li was in the third round of the [[2010 Rogers Cup]]. They played three times in 2011, two of which were at the Majors, with Li winning both times. Azarenka won their third meeting at the [[2011 WTA Tour Championships]] en route to reaching the final.

They played three times in [[2012 WTA Tour|2012]], with Azarenka winning each time. They played in the final of the [[2012 Apia International Sydney|Sydney International]], where Azarenka won in three sets after breaking the defending champion Li at 4–3 in the decider.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-13/azarenka-victorious-in-sydney-decider/3772550|title=Azarenka victorious in Sydney decider|work=ABC News|date=13 January 2012|access-date=6 February 2013|archive-date=8 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508201110/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-13/azarenka-victorious-in-sydney-decider/3772550|url-status=live}}</ref> Azarenka was also victorious in their meetings at [[2012 Mutua Madrid Open|Madrid]] and the [[2012 WTA Tour Championships|year-end championships]].

Their most notable meeting to date was in the final of the [[2013 Australian Open]]. Both players entered the championship match with one Grand Slam title each (Azarenka who the [[2012 Australian Open]], whilst Li won the [[2011 French Open]]), and in very good form, with Azarenka only dropping one set throughout her run and Li Na having not dropped a set and also having defeated two top four players (Agnieszka Radwańska and Maria Sharapova) en route. After Li Na won the first set, Azarenka stepped up her game as Li started to suffer multiple injuries, and eventually won in three sets to successfully defend her Australian Open title and become the first world No. 1 to win a Major since Serena Williams won [[2010 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon in 2010]].<ref name="AusOpen2013">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/21211185|title=Australian Open: Victoria Azarenka beats Li Na to defend title|publisher=BBC|date=26 January 2013|access-date=26 January 2013|author=Newbery, Piers|archive-date=27 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127195756/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/21211185|url-status=live}}</ref>

Azarenka lost the pair's last meeting in straight sets at the [[2013 WTA Tour Championships]], playing through a back injury and winning just three games in the process.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-26/li-na-defeats-victoria-azarenka-to-qualify-for-wta-championship/5047658?section=sport Li Na defeats Victoria Azarenka to qualify for WTA Championships semi-finals] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113023145/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-26/li-na-defeats-victoria-azarenka-to-qualify-for-wta-championship/5047658?section=sport |date=13 November 2013 }}, ''ABC Grandstand Sport (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)'', 26 October 2013</ref>

==Career statistics==
{{Main|Victoria Azarenka career statistics}}

===Grand Slam performance timelines===
{{Performance key|short=yes}}

====Singles====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;"
|-
!Tournament!![[2006 WTA Tour|2006]]!![[2007 WTA Tour|2007]]!![[2008 WTA Tour|2008]]!![[2009 WTA Tour|2009]]!![[2010 WTA Tour|2010]]!![[2011 WTA Tour|2011]]!![[2012 WTA Tour|2012]]!![[2013 WTA Tour|2013]]!![[2014 WTA Tour|2014]]!![[2015 WTA Tour|2015]]!![[2016 WTA Tour|2016]]!![[2017 WTA Tour|2017]]!![[2018 WTA Tour|2018]]!![[2019 WTA Tour|2019]]!![[2020 WTA Tour|2020]]!![[2021 WTA Tour|2021]]!![[2022 WTA Tour|2022]]!![[2023 WTA Tour|2023]]!![[2024 WTA Tour|2024]]!![[2025 WTA Tour|2025]]!!SR!!W–L!!Win%
|-
|style=text-align:left|[[Australian Open]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2006 Australian Open – Women's singles#Section 6|1R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2007 Australian Open – Women's singles#Section 5|3R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2008 Australian Open – Women's singles#Section 4|3R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2009 Australian Open – Women's singles#Section 8|4R]]
|style=background:#ffebcd|[[2010 Australian Open – Women's singles#Finals|QF]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2011 Australian Open – Women's singles#Section 4|4R]]
|style=background:lime|[[2012 Australian Open – Women's singles#Finals|'''W''']]
|style=background:lime|[[2013 Australian Open – Women's singles#Finals|'''W''']]
|style=background:#ffebcd|[[2014 Australian Open – Women's singles#Finals|QF]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2015 Australian Open – Women's singles#Section 2|4R]]
|style=background:#ffebcd|[[2016 Australian Open – Women's singles#Finals|QF]]
|A
|A
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2019 Australian Open – Women's singles#Section 3|1R]]
|A
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2021 Australian Open – Women's singles#Section 4|1R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2022 Australian Open – Women's singles#Section 3|4R]]
|style=background:yellow|[[2023 Australian Open – Women's singles#Finals|SF]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2024 Australian Open – Women's singles#Section 2|4R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2025 Australian Open – Women's singles#Section 8|1R]]
|2 / 17
|50–15
|{{tennis win percentage|won=50|lost=15|integer=yes}}
|-
|style=text-align:left|[[French Open]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2006 French Open – Women's singles#Section 8|1R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2007 French Open – Women's singles#Section 8|1R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2008 French Open – Women's singles#Section 3|4R]]
|style=background:#ffebcd|[[2009 French Open – Women's singles#Finals|QF]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2010 French Open – Women's singles#Section 7|1R]]
|style=background:#ffebcd|[[2011 French Open – Women's singles#Finals|QF]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2012 French Open – Women's singles#Section 1|4R]]
|style=background:yellow|[[2013 French Open – Women's singles#Section 6|SF]]
|A
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2015 French Open – Women's singles#Section 1|3R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2016 French Open – Women's singles#Section 2|1R]] 
|A
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2018 French Open – Women's singles#Section 5|1R]] 
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2019 French Open – Women's singles#Section 1|2R]] 
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2020 French Open – Women's singles#Section 4|2R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2021 French Open – Women's singles#Section 6|4R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2022 French Open – Women's singles#Section 8|3R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2023 French Open – Women's singles#Section 1|1R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2024 French Open – Women's singles#Section 7|2R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2025 French Open – Women's singles#Section 7|2R]]
|0 / 18
|30–18
|{{tennis win percentage|won=30|lost=18|integer=yes}}
|-
|style=text-align:left|[[Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2006 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles#Section 4|1R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2007 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles#Section 6|3R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2008 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles#Section 6|3R]]
|style=background:#ffebcd|[[2009 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles#Finals|QF]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2010 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles#Section 3|3R]]
|style=background:yellow|[[2011 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles#Finals|SF]]
|style=background:yellow|[[2012 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles#Finals|SF]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2013 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles#Finals|2R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2014 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles#Finals|2R]]
|style=background:#ffebcd|[[2015 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles#Finals|QF]]
|A
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2017 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles#Section 3|4R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2018 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles#Section 5|2R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2019 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles#Section 5|3R]]
|style=color:#767676|NH
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2021 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles#Section 2|2R]]
|A{{Efn|Russian and Belarusian athletes were [[Wimbledon ban on Russian and Belarusian players|banned from competing]] following the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Joint Statement by the International Governing Bodies of Tennis|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/news/joint-statement-by-the-international-governing-bodies-of-tennis-1-march-2022|access-date=27 March 2022|website=ATP Tour}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war-wimbledon-will-ban-russian-tennis-players-over-putins-invasion-12594261|title=Wimbledon bans Russian and Belarusian tennis players including Daniil Medvedev over Ukraine war|work=Sky News|date=20 April 2022 |accessdate=21 April 2022 }}</ref>|name=Belarusban}}
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2023 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles#Section 2|4R]]
|A
|
|0 / 15
|36–14
|{{tennis win percentage|won=36|lost=14|integer=yes}}
|-
|style=text-align:left|[[US Open (tennis)|US Open]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2006 US Open – Women's singles#Section 4|3R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2007 US Open – Women's singles#Section 6|4R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2008 US Open – Women's singles#Section 8|3R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2009 US Open – Women's singles#Section 5|3R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2010 US Open – Women's singles#Section 5|2R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2011 US Open – Women's singles#Section 3|3R]]
|style=background:thistle|[[2012 US Open – Women's singles#Finals|F]]
|style=background:thistle|[[2013 US Open – Women's singles#Finals|F]]
|style=background:#ffebcd|[[2014 US Open – Women's singles#Finals|QF]]
|style=background:#ffebcd|[[2015 US Open – Women's singles#Finals|QF]]
|A
|A
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2018 US Open – Women's singles#Section 3|3R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2019 US Open – Women's singles#Section 2|1R]]
|style=background:thistle|[[2020 US Open – Women's singles#Finals|F]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2021 US Open – Women's singles#Section 7|3R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2022 US Open – Women's singles#Section 3|4R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2023 US Open – Women's singles#Section 3|2R]]
|style=background:#afeeee|[[2024 US Open – Women's singles#Section 5|3R]]
|
|0 / 17
|48–17
|{{tennis win percentage|won=48|lost=17|integer=yes}}
|-style=font-weight:bold;background:#efefef
|style=text-align:left|Win–loss
|2–4
|7–4
|9–4
|13–4
|7–4
|14–4
|21–3
|19–2
|9–3
|13–4
|4–2
|3–1
|3–3
|3–4
|7–2
|6–4
|8–3
|9–4
|6–3
|1–2
|2 / 67
|164–64
|{{tennis win percentage|won=164|lost=64|integer=yes}}
|}

====Doubles====
{|class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Tournament!![[2007 WTA Tour|2007]]!![[2008 WTA Tour|2008]]!![[2009 WTA Tour|2009]]!![[2010 WTA Tour|2010]]!![[2011 WTA Tour|2011]]!!...!![[2018 WTA Tour|2018]]!![[2019 WTA Tour|2019]]!![[2020 WTA Tour|2020]]!![[2021 WTA Tour|2021]]!![[2022 WTA Tour|2022]]!![[2023 WTA Tour|2023]]!!W–L
|-
|align=left|[[Australian Open]]
|A
|bgcolor=thistle|[[2008 Australian Open – Women's doubles|F]]
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2009 Australian Open – Women's doubles|3R]]
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2010 Australian Open – Women's doubles|3R]]
|bgcolor=thistle|[[2011 Australian Open – Women's doubles|F]]
|
|A
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2019 Australian Open – Women's doubles|2R]]
|A
|A
|A
|A
|15–3
|-
|align=left|[[French Open]]
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2007 French Open – Women's doubles|1R]]
|bgcolor=ffebcd|[[2008 French Open – Women's doubles|QF]]
|bgcolor=thistle|[[2009 French Open – Women's doubles|F]]
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2010 French Open – Women's doubles|2R]]
|bgcolor=ffebcd|[[2011 French Open – Women's doubles|QF]]
|
|A
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2019 French Open – Women's doubles|3R]]
|A
|A
|A
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2023 French Open – Women's doubles|2R]]
|15–7
|-
|align=left|[[Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]]
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2007 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|2R]]
|bgcolor=ffebcd|[[2008 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|QF]]
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2009 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|3R]]
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2010 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|1R]]
|A
|
|A
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2019 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|3R]]
|style=color:#767676|NH
|A
|A
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2023 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles|2R]]
|8–3
|-
|align=left|[[US Open (tennis)|US Open]]
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2007 US Open – Women's doubles|1R]]
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2008 US Open – Women's doubles|1R]]
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2009 US Open – Women's doubles|2R]]
|A
|A
|
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2018 US Open – Women's doubles|2R]]
|bgcolor=thistle|[[2019 US Open – Women's doubles|F]]
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2020 US Open – Women's doubles|2R]]
|A
|A
|bgcolor=ffebcd|[[2023 US Open – Women's doubles|QF]]
|10–7
|-style=background:#efefef;font-weight:bold
|style=text-align:left|Win–loss
|1–3
|11–4
|9–2
|3–3
|8–2
|
|1–1
|10–2
|1–1
|0–0
|0–0
|4–2
|48–20
|}

====Mixed doubles====
{|class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Tournament!![[2006 WTA Tour|2006]]!![[2007 WTA Tour|2007]]!![[2008 WTA Tour|2008]]!!...!![[2012 WTA Tour|2012]]!!...!![[2017 WTA Tour|2017]]!![[2018 WTA Tour|2018]]!!...!![[2021 WTA Tour|2021]]!!SR!!W–L!!Win%
|-
|align=left|[[Australian Open]]
|A
|bgcolor=thistle|[[2007 Australian Open – Mixed doubles|F]]
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2008 Australian Open – Mixed doubles|1R]]
|
|A
|
|A
|A
|
|A
|0 / 2
|4–2
|{{tennis win percentage|won=4|lost=2|integer=yes}}
|-
|align=left|[[French Open]]
|A
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2007 French Open – Mixed doubles|1R]]
|bgcolor=lime|[[2008 French Open – Mixed doubles|'''W''']]
|
|A
|
|A
|A
|
|A
|1 / 2
|5–1
|{{tennis win percentage|won=5|lost=1|integer=yes}}
|-
|align=left|[[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]]
|A
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2007 Wimbledon Championships – Mixed doubles|1R]]
|A
|
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2012 Wimbledon Championships – Mixed doubles|3R]]
|
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2017 Wimbledon Championships – Mixed doubles|1R]]
|bgcolor=thistle|[[2018 Wimbledon Championships – Mixed doubles|F]]
|
|A
|0 / 4
|7–4
|{{tennis win percentage|won=7|lost=4|integer=yes}}
|-
|align=left|[[US Open (tennis)|US Open]]
|bgcolor=afeeee|[[2006 US Open – Mixed doubles|2R]]
|bgcolor=lime|[[2007 US Open – Mixed doubles|'''W''']]
|A
|
|A
|
|A
|A
|
|A
|1 / 2
|6–1
|{{tennis win percentage|won=6|lost=1|integer=yes}}
|-style=background:#efefef;font-weight:bold
|style=text-align:left|Win–loss
|1–1
|9–3
|5–1
|
|2–1
|
|0–1
|5–1
|
|0–0
|2 / 10
|22–8
|{{tennis win percentage|won=22|lost=8|integer=yes}}
|}

===Grand Slam finals===

====Singles: 5 (2 titles, 3 runner-ups)====
{|class="sortable wikitable"
!Result
!Year
!Tournament
!Surface
!Opponent
!class=unsortable|Score
|-bgcolor=ffffcc
|style=background:#98fb98|Win||[[2012 Australian Open – Women's singles|2012]]||[[Australian Open]]||Hard||{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Maria Sharapova]]||6–3, 6–0
|-style=background:#ccccff
|style=background:#ffa07a|Loss||[[2012 US Open – Women's singles|2012]]||[[US Open (tennis)|US Open]]||Hard||{{flagicon|USA}} [[Serena Williams]]||2–6, 6–2, 5–7
|-style=background:#ffffcc
|style=background:#98fb98|Win||[[2013 Australian Open – Women's singles|2013]]||Australian Open <small>(2)</small>||Hard||{{flagicon|PRC}} [[Li Na]]||4–6, 6–4, 6–3
|-style=background:#ccccff
|style=background:#ffa07a|Loss||[[2013 US Open – Women's singles|2013]]||US Open <small>(2)</small>||Hard||{{flagicon|USA}} Serena Williams||5–7, 7–6<sup>(8–6)</sup>, 1–6
|-style=background:#ccccff
|style=background:#ffa07a|Loss||[[2020 US Open – Women's singles|2020]]||US Open <small>(3)</small>||Hard||{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Naomi Osaka]]||6–1, 3–6, 3–6
|}

====Doubles: 4 (4 runner-ups)====
{|class="sortable wikitable"
!Result
!Year
!Tournament
!Surface
!Partner
!Opponents
! class=unsortable|Score
|-bgcolor=FFFFCC
|style=background:#ffa07a|Loss
|[[2008 Australian Open – Women's doubles|2008]]
|[[Australian Open]]
|Hard
|{{flagicon|ISR}} [[Shahar Pe'er]]
|{{flagicon|UKR}} [[Alona Bondarenko]]<br />{{flagicon|UKR}} [[Kateryna Bondarenko]]
|6–2, 1–6, 4–6
|-bgcolor=EBC2AF
|style=background:#ffa07a|Loss
|[[2009 French Open – Women's doubles|2009]]
|[[French Open]]
|Clay
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Elena Vesnina]]
|{{flagicon|ESP}} [[Anabel Medina Garrigues]]<br />{{flagicon|ESP}} [[Virginia Ruano Pascual]]
|1–6, 1–6
|-bgcolor=FFFFCC
|style=background:#ffa07a|Loss
|[[2011 Australian Open – Women's doubles|2011]] 
|Australian Open
|Hard
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Maria Kirilenko]]
|{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Gisela Dulko]]<br />{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Flavia Pennetta]]
|6–2, 5–7, 1–6
|-bgcolor=#CCCCFF
|style=background-color:#FFA07A|Loss
|[[2019 US Open – Women's doubles|2019]] 
|[[US Open (tennis)|US Open]] 
|Hard 
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Ashleigh Barty]]
|{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Elise Mertens]]<br />{{flagicon|BLR}} [[Aryna Sabalenka]]
|5–7, 5–7
|}

====Mixed doubles: 4 (2 titles, 2 runner-ups)====
{|class="sortable wikitable"
!Result
!Year
!Tournament
!Surface
!Partner
!Opponents
! class=unsortable|Score
|-bgcolor=FFFFCC
|style=background:#ffa07a|Loss
|[[2007 Australian Open – Mixed doubles|2007]]
|[[Australian Open]]
|Hard
|{{flagicon|BLR|1995}} [[Max Mirnyi]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Elena Likhovtseva]]<br />{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Daniel Nestor]]
|4–6, 4–6
|-bgcolor=CCCCFF
|style=background:#98fb98|Win 
|[[2007 US Open – Mixed doubles|2007]]
|[[US Open (tennis)|US Open]]
|Hard
|{{flagicon|BLR|1995}} Max Mirnyi
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Meghann Shaughnessy]]<br />{{flagicon|IND}} [[Leander Paes]]
|6–4, 7–6<sup>(8–6)</sup>
|-bgcolor=EBC2AF
|style=background:#98fb98|Win 
|[[2008 French Open – Mixed doubles|2008]]
|[[French Open]]
|Clay
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Bob Bryan]]
|{{flagicon|SLO}} [[Katarina Srebotnik]]<br />{{flagicon|SRB|2004}} [[Nenad Zimonjić]]
|6–2, 7–6<sup>(7–4)</sup>
|-style=background:#ccffcc
|style=background:#ffa07a|Loss
|[[2018 Wimbledon Championships – Mixed doubles|2018]]
|[[Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]]
|Grass
|{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Jamie Murray]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Nicole Melichar]]<br />{{flagicon|AUT}} [[Alexander Peya]]
|6–7<sup>(1–7)</sup>, 3–6
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Tennis}}
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* [[WTA Tour records]]
* [[List of WTA number 1 ranked singles tennis players]]
* [[List of female tennis players]]
* [[List of tennis rivalries]]
* [[Open Era tennis records – women's singles]]
* [[All-time tennis records – women's singles]]
{{div col end}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Victoria Azarenka}}
* {{WTA}}
* {{ITF}}
* {{Fed Cup player}}
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{Olympics.com|victoria-azarenka}}
* {{NOC Belarus|azarenko-viktoriya-fjodorovna-tennis}}

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{{navboxes|title=Victoria Azarenka in the [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam tournaments]]
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{{Australian Open women's singles champions}}
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{{US Open girls' singles champions}}
{{Australian Open girls' doubles champions}}
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{{Wimbledon girls' doubles champions}}
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{{Tennis World Number Ones (women)}}
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{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Azarenka, Victoria}}
[[Category:Victoria Azarenka|Victoria Azarenka]]
[[Category:1989 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian Open (tennis) champions]]
[[Category:Australian Open (tennis) junior champions]]
[[Category:Belarusian expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
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[[Category:People from Monte Carlo]]
[[Category:Belarusian female tennis players]]
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[[Category:French Open junior champions]]
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[[Category:Tennis players at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:US Open (tennis) junior champions]]
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[[Category:Tennis players at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic medalists in tennis]]
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[[Category:Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Tennis players from Scottsdale, Arizona]]
[[Category:WTA number 1 ranked singles tennis players]]