World number one Victoria Azarenka stressed that she did not cheat when she took a medical time-out while leading 5-4 in the second set of her Australian Open semifinal match against Sloane Stephens of the United States. With Stephens serving to stay on the match, Azarenka broke the serve and eventually won the match.
“It was bad timing, it was probably my fault as I said before and I would never do something against or towards the other player, especially somebody like Sloane,” she said. “I’ve known her since she was 16 years old, we’ve practiced a couple of times together and I admire her and really like her as a girl.” Her statement came out as an answer to those worried if the incident would anchor for a dispute between them. She said that Sloane’s press conference does not say otherwise either.
The two share the same agent, according to reports.
“I haven’t spoken to her after that but I am going to send her a message,” Azarenka said. “I don’t feel that she took it the bad way because she was really nice in her press conference and we are great between us. It’s not going to cause any problems because it was not intentional and she didn’t take it personal and so that’s great from her. I think she’s a terrific girl and I’m definitely going to send her a message just to make sure that we are OK, but I know we are fine.”
