Former world No.1 Victoria Azarenka has clinched the Brisbane International crown after downing fourth seed Angelique Kerber 6-3, 6-1 on Saturday night.
The unseeded Belarusian broke a two-and-a-half-year wait to join the winner’s list on tour again, having last held aloft the champion’s trophy at Cincinnati 2013.
It was Azarenka’s third Brisbane final, having won her first tour title here seven years ago before finishing runner-up to Serena Williams in 2014.
She hit 23 winners, won 10 of 13 points at net and dropped just 17 games total in fives matches, equalling Williams for the least games dropped en route to the title.
The win extended her unbeaten streak against the German to six. Kerber had reached three successive Brisbane quarterfinals before reaching this year’s decider.
But a recharged Azarenka is refusing to get ahead of herself despite rocketing into Australian Open calculations.
Azarenka, a two-time Australian Open winner who dropped out of the world’s top 40 following injury-wrecked years in 2014 and 2015, gave an overwhelming sense is she is back to her lethal best.
But this new-model Azarenka also has it sorted between the ears, regaling reporters this week of how, after the experiencing the depths of her injury hell, life improved once she decided to stop caring what other people thought of her and start living in the moment.
That’s why, instead of allowing herself to wonder what this resurgent period in her career could bring, she simply plans to wait and see.
“I don’t. I really don’t wonder,” Azarenka said. “But I’m excited to follow my journey. I’m excited to live my journey.
“That’s a great feeling – stay in the moment, be present. I really enjoy this moment and I think it’s precious.
“So I just want to enjoy that and see how I feel tomorrow, what I want to do, and keep going.”
That tomorrow is the Australian Open, for which bookmakers have already installed her as second favourite behind Serena Williams on the back of her blistering Brisbane run.
“I’m going do everything I can next week to prepare and feel the most comfortable to start the tournament,” she said.