Victoria Azarenka stands at a statuesque 6ft (1.83m), weighs in at 145lbs (66kg) and has developed an impressively thick skin to match.Ever since she left her Belarus home as a 16-year-old to pursue her tennis dreams in the United States, Azarenka's career has witnessed the highs of being number one and winning back-to-back Australian Open crowns.But there have also been a series of lows, both controversial and bizarre with accusations of gamesmanship leveled against her and a spell on the sidelines thanks to an ill-judged pedicure.Always a leading junior, Azarenka developed her talents in Arizona where she lived with family friends and turned professional in 2003.It took six years to capture her first singles title, the Brisbane tournament in 2009 which was the first on a list which has now reached 17.That roll of honor includes her Grand Slam triumphs in Melbourne in 2012 and 2013 and a mixed doubles gold with Max Mirnyi at the London Olympics.The 24-year-old's game is based on formidable power off the ground and deceptively comfortable hands at the net, but before she made her breakthrough at a major she had considered walking away from the sport.

A heart-to-heart conversation with her beloved grandmother back home in Minsk revived her spirit for the game and she has hardly looked back.hrt hoodiesHer 2012 Australian Open title was part of a 26-match winning streak while Sunday will see her playing in a second successive US Open final.desmond miles hoodie and bagHer career has also brought her more than $20 million in prize money, a luxury home in Monte Carlo and a romance with pop singer Redfoo."pierce the veil jacket gasHe has helped me so much. lululemon scuba hoodie fabricIt's a learning experience to learn how to interact with people, to see their perspective," she said."jbs hoodie

He helped me tremendously with that, and just to open up and be who I am."Her habit of making her entrance on court hidden in a hoodie and with headphones plugged into rhythm and blues, hip-hop or Motown music may work to soothe pre-match tensions, but there have been times Azarenka wishes she could stay hidden.olga kay hoodieBlasted as too emotionally unstable and physically weak to break into the big-hitting league of Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova in her early years, Azarenka has also been ridiculed for her infamous on-court grunting.rusty neal hoodieCrowds have often mimicked her banshee wailing and spectators were on her back again at the Australian Open this year, when she took a 10-minute injury timeout against America's Sloane Stephens after wasting five match points.Stephens' coach, David Nainkin, described it as "cheating within the rules".

She has also endured a tense relationship with Sharapova, famously getting involved in a shoulder bumping clash with the Russian star at the Italian Open last year.Azarenka has also fallen foul of one the more bizarre sports pullouts in recent years -- walkover due to unhygienic pedicure suffered in Thailand and was forced to concede a semi-final in Brisbane to Williams.It will be Williams figuring large again on Sunday when she meets the American, against whom she has a 12-3 losing record. Tennis Tiger Woods US Open 2013 Sania Mirza Maria Sharapova Leander Paes Victoria AzarenkaTennis ace Victoria Azarenka has candidly opened up about her battle with depression following her split from music star Redfoo.After two years and a series of engagement rumours, the 25-year-old parted ways with Redfoo in June 2014 and her career took a nosedive.Azarenka, from Belarus in Eastern Europe, said she was left broken-hearted when she split from X Factor Australia judge Redfoo and turned to the unlikely hobby of painting to get her through the tough times, she told the New York Times.

Tennis ace Victoria Azarenka (pictured at Hozier Lane in Melbourne) has candidly opened up about her battle with depression following her split from music star Redfoo.A foot and knee injury restricted the tennis star to only 24 matches in 2014 leading to a disaster year, both professionally and romantically. 'I did get my heart broken; I'm over it, but it was broken. And I'm not afraid to admit that it was, but it's life,' she said. 'I think the toughest part is to admit that you weren't O.K. Somebody asked me at one stage, 'Are you depressed?' And I said: 'Are you kidding me? But you know what? I was, but I just didn't realize it, because all these things happen, and you just don't know how to deal with emotions.' After two years and a series of engagement rumours, the 25-year-old Belarusian athlete parted ways with Redfoo in June 2014 and her career took a nosedive Azarenka, who admits that she cried a lot last year, was hitting rock-bottom and was searching for a new hobby to take her mind off her troubles.

With her mother being a professional painter, it was only right that she would try her hand at the brush and before she knew it she was getting compliments on her work. She started crying during her first painting class and threw the brush down. Using her hands, she smeared the paint across her shirt, creating what she thought was a mess.  'I was upset, and I was lazy, and I just wiped my hands on my shirt, just everything on my shirt, on my pants. And I woke up the next day and had a meeting in this restaurant with Nike people, and I didn't feel like dressing up. I just put on that shirt and those pants, and I come into the restaurant. And the Nike people, they're like: 'Oh my God, that's a cool shirt. Where did you buy it?' Speaking to the New York Times , Azarenka said she was left broken-hearted when she split from X Factor Australia judge Redfoo and turned to an unlikely hobby to get her through the tough times Azarenka is pictured in Hozier Lane in Melbourne. The tennis star had a disaster year in 2014Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Azarenka said painting is all about expressing yourself and felt it was a great outlet for her at the time.'I don't consider myself as a great painter;

I just feel that art is about expressing your emotions and expressing your feelings, and music is the same way, you can see what other people are going through. If you listen to some songs, I never understood some of the lyrics, and then I was like 'oh my God, this is what I'm going through! Did you write it for me'?'Azarenka reveals that she found a shoulder to cry on in good friend and fellow tennis star Caroline Wozniacki. Wozniacki had just been jilted by golfer Rory McIlroy when Azarenka and Redfoo called quits on their relationship and she was also feeling the strain of her personal problems.With her mother being a professional painter, it was only right that she would try her hand at the brush and before she knew it she was getting compliments on her work Redfoo and Azarenka were together for two-years before they split, They are pictured here at Madison Square Garden in 2013'We were both in Monaco when her situation happened and everything with me happened, and we were just having dinner and crying on each other's shoulders.'The young star said she has never looked at the official numbers and does not take any heed of where she ranks on the world table in tennis