By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, January 8, 2018
Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka has joined reigning champ Serena Williams in withdrawing from the Melbourne major.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Victoria Azarenka won't make it to Melbourne this month.
The two-time Australian Open champion has officially withdrawn from the Melbourne major, which starts on January 15th.
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The 28-year-old wild-card recipient is unable to travel Down Under, tournament organizers announced.
"It's unfortunate that Victoria Azarenka is unable to travel to Australia this year," tournament director Craig Tiley said. "The Australian Open is her favourite tournament and she's looking forward to returning to Melbourne next year."
The former No. 1 has only played two tournaments in the last 20 months due to pregnancy, motherhood and an ongoing custody battle with her son Leo’s father, Billy McKeague. Legal issues have prevented Azarenka from taking son Leo out of her home state of California.
Azarenka joins defending champion Serena Williams, who gave birth to her first child on September 1st, in pulling out of the Australian Open.
It marks the second straight major Azarenka will miss. She was forced out of the US Open in August because she was unable to travel to New York City with Leo.
Currently ranked No. 210, Azarenka reached the round of 16 at Wimbledon last July in her lone Grand Slam appearance since the 2016 Roland Garros.
During the offseason, Azarenka split with coach Michael Joyce, and her fitness trainer, Ashcon Rezazadeh. Joyce, who formerly coached Maria Sharapova, is now coaching Wimbledon semifinalist Johanna Konta.