Victoria Azarenka opened her US Open campaign with a straight-sets win, showing the blend of return pressure and competitive grit that has defined her two-decade career. The former world No. 1 defeated rising American Hina Inoue 7-6(7), 6-4 in the first round, a welcome result after an up-and-down season shaped by a spring injury and a summer resurgence.
Zooming out, 2025 has been anything but quiet for Azarenka. She carved a place in the record books at Roland-Garros by becoming the oldest woman in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam main-draw match by 6-0, 6-0, a “double bagel” that announced—again—that her ball-striking and competitive appetites are still very real.
That historic blitz over Yanina Wickmayer came just weeks after she exited Miami in visible pain, then reassured fans there was no long-term damage. The arc tells a simple story: when healthy, Vika remains dangerous anywhere, and especially on North American hard courts.
Where her ranking stands—and why it misleads
Officially, Azarenka entered the US Open ranked in the low-130s after a patchy spring and limited point accumulation—numbers that understate her week-to-week level. The WTA profile listed her current ranking at ~No. 132 with a 2025 win-loss near break-even heading into New York; ESPN’s table similarly had her hovering around the 130s in late August.
For a veteran who has routinely played above her seeding—and has three US Open finals on her résumé (2012, 2013, 2020)—a double-digit seed on the other side of the net rarely intimidates.
2025, chapter by chapter
Indian Wells: After a first-round win over Clervie Ngounoue, Azarenka fell to top-tier opposition in Qinwen Zheng in the Round of 64—an early indicator that she could still handle power but might need more matches to sharpen patterns under pressure.
Miami (setback, then clarity): Against Karolína Muchová in the second round, Azarenka retired at the start of set two, clutching her neck/shoulder and leaving in tears—one of those moments that reminds even elite athletes of their limits. Within days, however, she confirmed no long-term damage, resetting expectations for the clay and grass swings.
Roland-Garros (history): On May 27, she double-bageled Wickmayer in 48 minutes—her fifth such scoreline at majors and a performance the WTA chronicled as the oldest 6-0, 6-0 win by a woman in the Open Era. Reuters and multiple outlets echoed the milestone. She would face fellow Slam champion Sofia Kenin next, but the headline was the message: her first-strike tennis still lands on clay, not only on hard courts.
Hard-court lead-up: Summer brought glimpses of rhythm interspersed with tough draws. In Washington, for example, she ran into top seed Aryna Sabalenka, who advanced; again, context matters—when Azarenka’s health and timing align, she still plays forehand-backhand on the rise as well as almost anyone.
US Open 2025: a clean start in New York
Azarenka’s opening win over Hina Inoue felt exactly like the match she needed: baseline control, timely first serves, and enough bite on the return to keep a talented shot-maker on her heels. The official WTA scoreboard shows the tiebreak squeaker in set one and a steadier second set.
If the draw holds to projection, Azarenka’s next opponent will come from the Yastremska–Pavlyuchenkova section—another barometer of how her legs are handling best-of-three intensity in New York humidity.
What’s working tactically
Return stance & depth: Azarenka’s standout skill remains her return, particularly on second serves. Even against younger, bigger hitters, her compact take-backs and early contact rob servers of time. It’s less about outright winners off the return and more about starting on neutral or better.
Backhand down the line: When her footwork is crisp, the backhand line change collapses space, pushing opponents into the ad corner and opening the next forehand into the deuce side. On hard courts, the skid amplifies that geometry.
Serve patterns, not serve speed: Vika’s first-serve percentage tends to matter more than raw MPH. Slice-wide into the deuce court and T-serves in the ad court are her two comfort patterns; when she nails locations, even a modest-pace serve sets up a plus-one backhand.
What could decide her New York ceiling
Health & recovery: The neck/shoulder episode in Miami was a scare. Her own update—“no long-term damage”—was encouraging, but New York’s day-night swings can punish any lingering stiffness. Managing practice loads between rounds will be key.
Draw texture: Few unseeded players have Azarenka’s résumé. The flip side is that she may draw elite opposition early. If she sees a top-10 power hitter before the second week, the match likely hinges on her return depth and willingness to absorb first-strike pace for two full sets.
Scoreboard courage: One reason she’s loved in New York: she leans into tiebreaks and late-set knife-fights. Her 2025 French Open “double bagel” wasn’t just clinical; it was a psychological message that she can still step on throats when she senses momentum.
Career context (and why the fanbase keeps growing)
It’s easy to forget the breadth of her career. Azarenka has 21 WTA singles titles, including two Australian Opens (2012, 2013), a career-high ranking of No. 1, an Olympic bronze in singles and gold in mixed doubles (London 2012), and three US Open final runs. The Indian Wells tournament site and the WTA bios remain the cleanest one-page refresh for those major milestones. Review Azarenka’s official WTA profile here.
Beyond the trophies, her resilience is the through-line. Azarenka has balanced motherhood, injuries, and long tours while evolving her game from pure first-strike to a slightly more pattern-based brand of pressure. When she’s healthy, the timing comes back quickly because the technique—those compact swings, the early contact, the disciplined court position—doesn’t need reinvention.
Numbers to watch this fortnight
- First-serve percentage: Anything north of ~62–65% tends to unlock her plus-one backhand and protect service games against elite returners.
- Second-serve points won: If she hovers around 50% on second serves, she’s holding often enough to press with the return.
- Backhand line winners vs. errors: The line change is her risk lever; if it’s net-positive, most matches tilt in her favor.
How far can she go in New York?
The honest answer: farther than her ranking suggests. Hard courts remain her best canvas, the US Open crowd tends to feed her intensity, and the women’s field—while brutally deep—rewards players who can return big and take time away. A second-week run isn’t fantasy if the body cooperates and the early rounds don’t demand too many three-set marathons.
What’s different about Azarenka in 2025
This season has already delivered a signature memory (Roland-Garros 6-0, 6-0) and a test of patience (Miami). The juxtaposition fits the later chapters of a great career: fewer full-throttle weeks, more targeted peaks, and the knowledge of exactly where to spend competitive energy. If the US Open proves to be one of those peaks, it will be because she reclaimed the serve-plus-return rhythm that powered her to world No. 1 a decade ago.
Quick reference & verified links
- US Open R1: Azarenka def. Inoue 7-6(7), 6-4 (official WTA scoreline).
- 2025 French Open history: Oldest woman in the Open Era to win a Slam main-draw match 6-0, 6-0.
- 2025 spring injury: Retired in Miami; later confirmed no long-term damage.
- Ranking context: WTA/ESPN tables around No. 130–133 in mid-to-late August.
- Career résumé basics: WTA bio & tournament pages.
Bottom line
For Victoria Azarenka, the 2025 US Open is a chance to turn a season of extremes into something cohesive: a health scare in Miami, a historic statement in Paris, and now a gritty opening win in New York. The ranking may not sparkle, but the competitive engine still does.
If the serve locations hold and the return finds its depth, she’s equipped to bloody the draw and remind everyone why her name still carries weight in week two of a major. The story from here is simple: keep the body right, lean on the return, and let the big-match instincts do the rest.
