Victoria Azarenka holds off Zhu Lin to book her spot in the quarterfinals

Victoria Azarenka came from a set down to defeat Zhu Lin

AUSTRALIAN OPEN Victoria Azarenka holds off Zhu Lin to book her spot in the quarterfinals

Funmilayo Fameso 18:49 - 22.01.2023

Victoria Azarenka battled hard against unseeded Zhu Lin to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.

Two-time Australian Open Champion (2012 and 2013), Victoria Azarenka is back in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, after defeating highly spirited Zhu Lin 4-6 6-1 6-4.

The match between the Belarusian and and unseeded Lin started late at Rod Laver Arena because the proceeding match between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Jannik Sinner went to five sets.

Victoria Azarenka came back from a set down to defeat Zhu Lin

It turned out to be a grueling clash, which in the first set, the Chinese woman breaks Azarenka for 4-3, followed with big serves she won the first set 6-4.

Azarenka got her acts back in the second set with a 6-1 win to take the match into a third set encounter.

Zhu Lin pushed Azarenka all the way in their round of 16 clash

After long battle between both ladies, Azarenka sealed the deal on the first match point with a searing two-handed crosscourt backhand to take the deciding set 6-4, and reach her first AO quarterfinal since 2016 and first Grand Slam quarterfinal since the 2020 US Open.

"It was two hours and 40 minutes of complete pressure," Azarenka said in her post-match interview.

The 33-year-old will now face Jessica Pegula as they battle for a spot in the last four.

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