Talking to the press after her loss in the semifinals of the 2023 Australian Open, Victoria Azarenka was annoyed by journalists asking her about the tensions related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The two-time champion in Melbourne said “you keep dragging players into it.”
As a person coming from Belarus, Azarenka played the Australian Open under neutral flag, given that her country is considered a Russian ally in the war against Ukraine. Asked whether the situation is affecting her, the former world No.1 responded that journalists are those constantly bringing up the topic and creating tension.