Victoria 'Vika' Azarenka, the 2012 Australian Open winner, is tennis's hottest new star.
When Victoria Azrenka won the 2012 Australian Open over Maria Sharapova earlier this month she became a worldwide household name, and now she is gaining attention for her beauty as well.
The first-time Grand Slam winner became an instant hit with her graceful playing style in the Aussie Open, and her Belarusian good looks. Born in Minsk, she is 22 years old and at the height of her game.
Since from the beginning, I really wanted to play all the time and really wanted to play professional, Victoria has said. I saw it on TV. And I saw a lot of players from Belarus when I started, like Zvereva and Mirnyi. We started at the same tennis club and I saw how they played and I really wanted to be like them.
The world's number-one-ranked women's tennis player, Azarenka is riding high after her big win, posing for photos with her trophies in Melbourne, and hamming it up for the cameras. Coming in at 5'10, she has said that her idol is the inimitable Roger Federer, who bowed out early at this year's Australian Open.
Azarenka has been on the rise for the past year, as she reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2011 and the quarterfinals of the 2011 French Open.
As the world's attention turns to Victoria 'Vika' Azarenka, you can check her out in this fun slide show:
Victoria Azarenka poses off the court in her finest evening wear.vikaazarenkatennis.comVictoria Azarenka of Belarus reacts after winning her match against Roberta Vinci of Italy at the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris May 28, 2011.ReutersVictoria Azarenka of Belarus prepares to serve to Ekaterina Makarova of Russia during the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris May 30, 2011.ReutersVictoria Azarenka of Belarus poses with her Australian Open tennis tournament women's singles trophy and the trophy for being WTA world number one beside the Yarra River in Melbourne January 29, 2012. ReutersAzarenka has a model's good looks.vikaazarenkatennis.comVictoria Azarenka (L) of Belarus kisses Iveta Benesova of Czech Republic after their women's singles match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 22, 2012. Azarenka won the match. ReutersVictoria Azarenka of Belarus celebrates after defeating Maria Sharapova of Russia in their women's singles final match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 28, 2012.ReutersVictoria Azarenka of Belarus reacts after winning her match against Jelena Jankovic of Serbia at the Sydney International tennis tournament January 10, 2012.ReutersAn image of Victoria Azarenka of Belarus is projected onto the court before the start of her women's singles final match against Maria Sharapova of Russia at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 28, 2012.ReutersVictoria Azarenka of Belarus celebrates her victory against Samantha Stosur of Australia during her WTA tennis championships match in Istanbul, October 26, 2011.ReutersAzarenka takes her talents to the beach.vikaazarenkatennis.comDenmark's Caroline Wozniacki (R) dances with Victoria Azarenka of Belarus during their World Tennis Charity Invitation match at Thailand's beach resort city of Hua Hin January 1, 2012.ReutersVictoria Azarenka of Belarus bows to the crowd after her win over Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania at the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo September 27, 2011.ReutersVictoria Azarenka of Belarus celebrates defeating Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan during their quarter-final match at the Rogers Cup women's tennis tournament in Toronto, August 12, 2011.ReutersPetra Kvitova of Czech Republic kisses the Ion Tiriac trophy after winning the Madrid Open final tennis match against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in Madrid May 8, 2011.ReutersVika Azarenka poses with "Superman" Dwight Howard, center for the Orlando Magic NBA basketball team.vikaazarenkatennis.com
