the second round to another Czech player, Karolína Plíšková. Nonetheless, she reached the final in the mixed doubles, partnering Jamie Murray. At the US Open, Azarenka lost in the third round in straight sets to defending champion Sloane Stephens. Then she played in the quarterfinals of Tokyo. 2019: US Open doubles final, return to top 50 At the Australian Open, Azarenka lost to Laura Siegemund in the first round. She won doubles in Acapulco, partnering Zheng Saisai. In Monterrey, Azarenka advanced to the final, defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Angelique Kerber along the way. She retired in the second set against defending champion Garbiñe Muguruza, citing a right leg injury, as she was losing 1–6, 1–3. At Wimbledon, she lost in the third round to eventual champion Simona Halep. At the US Open, she made the final in women's doubles partnering Ashleigh Barty. 2020: Return to form, first title since 2016, first Grand Slam final since 2013, return to top 15 Azarenka withdrew from the Australian Open due to 'personal problems'. Her first match in 2020 was at the Monterrey Open, where she lost in the first round to Tamara Zidanšek in straight sets. She then withdrew from Indian Wells for undisclosed reasons, before the tournament was cancelled, and the WTA Tour was suspended, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the WTA Tour resumed she played her first tournament in five months at the Top Seed Open in Lexington where she lost in the first round to Venus Williams in straight sets. Azarenka next played at the Western & Southern Open, winning the title via walkover in the final, after Naomi Osaka withdrew citing a hamstring injury. This became her first WTA singles title since the 2016 Miami Open and since giving birth to her son. Following the victory, Azarenka climbed 22 places in the world rankings to 27th place. Azarenka was unseeded in singles at the US Open, given that seedings were taken from the rankings the week prior to her big win. She defeated Barbara Haas in the first round, then defeated the fifth seed and world No. 11, her countrywoman Aryna Sabalenka in the second round. Azarenka then defeated Polish teenager Iga Świątek in the third round, before coming back from a set down to defeat the 20th seed Karolína Muchová, advancing to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since the 2016 Australian Open. With Serena Williams and Tsvetana