round match, citing a left hip injury. In her next two tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami, she reached the third round. At Miami, she walked off the court while trailing 16-year-old Linda Fruhvirtová in the third round, despite the umpire asking her to wait for her trainer. She said later it was because her personal life was "extremely stressful". Former world No. 5 Daniela Hantuchova said: "The most disrespectful thing about this is how she walked off the court without really giving a reason (for retiring). I think the WTA will really have to look into this. This one for me is really bizarre and really disrespectful to the crowd, to the umpire and most importantly to Linda (Fruhvirtova). I think Vika (Azarenka) just knows if she kept going this way she would be off the court anyway very shortly." Six months later, former world No. 2 Agnieszka Radwanska said: "She has done theatre more than once before, she has faked injuries etc... I think: 'God, girl ... You're 33, you've got everything on the court, you're a mom. And you do something like that!' It is completely incomprehensible to me." During the clay-court season, she reached the round of 16 while playing at the Madrid Open and at the Italian Open. At Roland-Garros, Azarenka lost in the third round to Jil Teichmann in a three-set match lasting three hours. Azarenka decided not to play any grass-court tournaments due to Wimbledon's ban on Russian and Belarusan players. Azarenka started her North American hardcourt swing at the 2022 Citi Open. She reached the quarterfinals before falling to Wang Xiyu. She pulled out of the Canadian Open due to her travel visa getting declined. At the Cincinnati Open she fell in the second round to Emma Raducancu. At the US Open she reached the fourth round with wins over Kostyuk and Martic before falling to Karolina Pliskova in three sets. At the Guadalajara Open, she reached semifinals at the WTA 1000-level for the first time in the season, but lost to eventual champion Jessica Pegula, in straight sets. 2023 Victoria returned to the semifinals of the 2023 Australian Open after 10 years. In the tournament she defeated Sofia Kenin, Nadia Podoroska, Madison Keys, Lin Zhu and Jessica Pegula. The points earned in the tournament moved her up to world No. 16. She lost to Elena Rybakina in straight sets. Playing style