Victoria Azarenka slams media over controversy after Australian Open elimination: ‘What’s the goal here?’

Former Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka lashed out at the media after her semi-final loss to Elena Rybakina in a lively post-match press conference.

The Belarusian star is one of several players entering the tournament as a “neutral athlete” due to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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Following the emergence of footage of Novak Djokovic’s father Srdjan posing for photos with a group of Vladimir Putin supporters at the Australian Open on Wednesday night, Azarenka was asked about the issue of Russia’s war against Ukraine and its impact on players.

“To be honest, I don’t know at all what this has to do with Novak,” Azarenka said.

‘I don’t know what you want us to do about it. how to talk about it

“I don’t know what the goal is here, that it’s brought up continuously.

“These incidents, which I don’t think have anything to do with players, but somehow you keep dragging players in.”

Azarenka then turned the interview around when she asked the journalist what the “goal” of the controversial line of questioning was.

“I think you should ask yourself this question, not me,” Azarenka told the journalist.

“Whatever the answer I’m going to give you now, it will be twisted the way you want it twisted.

“So does it bother me? What bothers me is that there are real things going on in the world. I do not know.

“Are you a politician? are you Reporting on politics?”

The journalist replied “no”.

Azarenka said the Djokovic incidents and the war in Russia are out of her control and have nothing to do with her.

“I’m an athlete,” said Azarenka.

“You’re asking me about things that someone might say is in my control, but I don’t think so.

“I don’t know what you want to answer me. If it’s a provocative question, then you can twist the story however you want.”