Azarenka sympathises with Djokovic after being accused of cheating in 2013 at Australian Open: "We are not villains or heroes, we are regular human beings"

Victoria Azarenka expressed sympathy for Novak Djokovic after remembering her own experiences with the media 10 years ago at the Australian Open.

Ten years ago saw the conclusion of a very controversial trophy run by Azarenka at the Australian Open. There weren't many kinds of things written about Azarenka at that time as she was accused of cheating, gamesmanship, and all sorts of things. Many had a problem with her injury that year, as they deemed it fake, something Djokovic dealt with at this year's Australian Open.

He expressed frustration with that and that's something she can understand. She referenced it after her win over Pegula when asked about the event ten years ago:

“I can resonate with what Novak [Djokovic] said the other day, there is sometimes - I don't know - an incredible desire for a villain and a hero story that has to be written but we are not villains or heroes, we are regular human beings who go through so many things, and assumptions and judgements and all those comments are just s**t."

Expanding further on the 2013 Australian Open, Azarenka said:

“It was one of the worst things I have ever gone through in my professional career, the way I was treated after that moment, the way I had to explain myself until 10.30pm at night because people didn’t want to believe me."