Australian Open tennis: Victoria Azarenka blasts journalist after losing semifinal

Victoria Azarenka of Belarus reacts during her semifinal loss to Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan. Photo / AP

Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka was in no mood for journalists after her straight sets defeat in her semifinal match with Russian-born Elena Rybakina.

After falling to a 7-6 6-3 loss, the veteran was asked a prickly question in her post match press conference as the Open continues to be somewhat overshadowed by the shocking scenes of Russian nationalists staging a demonstration in support of President Vladimir Putin outside Rod Laver Arena.

The demonstration, which followed Djokovic’s win over Andrey Rublev on Wednesday night, was a critical discussion point.

However, Azarenka, who is playing under a neutral flag as a Belarusian player, batted away the series of questions.

The 33-year-old’s exchange with one reporter became frosty as she said her response was likely to be “spun”.

“You’re asking me about things that maybe somebody says are in my control, but I don’t believe that,” she said.

“I don’t know what you want me to answer. If it’s a provocative question, then you can spin the story however you want.”

She said the off-field scandal has nothing to do with the players at the tournament.

“Whatever the answer I’m going to give it to you right now, it’s going to be turned whichever way you want to turn it to,” she said.

“So does it bother me? What bothers me is there’s real things that’s going on in the world.”

Azarenka’s full exchange with the journalist:

Q. There’s been a lot of scrutiny about a lot of the Russian and Belarusian players here. I’m sure even if you weren’t looking at social, you would have seen there was an incident with Novak’s dad last night. Is it difficult for you when you go out there to put all those things out of your mind? Do you think there are other players who get impacted by it?

AZARENKA: Other players get impacted by what exactly are you asking me?

Q. Distractions out of their hands, the constant sort of news and talk about issues.

AZARENKA: News are coming from who?

Q. Well, from everyone, social media.

VICTORIA AZARENKA: You’re here talking about it right now, so obviously it’s a topic you want to continue to bring up and up and up again (smiling). I don’t know what you want me to say.

Q. Are you able to distance yourself completely? Does it concern you at all? Do you think about it? As a fellow player, do you think how difficult that might be for Novak?

AZARENKA: I don’t know what it has to do with Novak at all, to be fair, so…

I’ve spoken to actually a security guard today who was walking me to practice every day. I know him for years. I just asked him what was the accident [sic]. He explained to me.

I don’t know what you guys want us to do about it. Like talk about it? I don’t know what’s the goal here that it’s continuously brought up. These incidents that in my opinion have nothing to do with players, but somehow you keep dragging players into it. So what’s the goal here? I think you should ask yourself that question, not me.

Q. To clarify on that. Does it frustrate you, particularly last night, for example, there was a clear sort of pro-Russian demonstration happening within the grounds of the tournament, that these people are coming and using the Australian Open as a platform for these kind of demonstrations. Does that frustrate you?

AZARENKA: Whatever the answer I’m going to give it to you right now, it’s going to be turned whichever way you want to turn it to. So does it bother me? What bothers me is there’s real things that’s going on in the world. I don’t know. Are you a politician? Are you? Are you covering politics?

Q. No, I’m a sports journalist.

AZARENKA: And I’m an athlete. You’re asking me about things that maybe somebody says are in my control, but I don’t believe that. I don’t know what you want me to answer. If it’s a provocative question, then you can spin the story however you want.