“It was her problem”: Victoria Azarenka discusses Ostapenko's provocative gesture at Qatar Open

Victoria Azarenka recalls the controversy with Jelena Ostapenko in their last encounter at the 2024 Qatar Open. The former world No. 1 took a comfortable 6-0, 6-3 victory in the Round of 16, extending her perfect streak against Ostapenko to 5-0.

It was a heated encounter in which Azarenka dominated from start to finish. This was the third consecutive tournament they faced off in mid-February, with previous wins for Azarenka at the Brisbane International and the Australian Open.

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It wasn’t an easy loss for Ostapenko, who had a strong 13-2 record at the start of the season, with titles at the Linz Open and Abu Dhabi. However, Azarenka eliminated the former French Open champion for the third time in a row, and the Latvian player showed her frustration at the end of the match.

As they approached the net after the match, instead of offering a handshake, Ostapenko brought her racquet close to Azarenka – seemingly intending to clash them. This annoyed Azarenka, who stepped aside while both players exchanged goodbyes with the chair umpire.

The two-time Grand Slam champion reflected on the controversial moment in her latest appearance on What the Vlog, Daria Kasatkina’s YouTube channel, alongside her partner Natalia Zabiiako. “I can say it’s not my problem, it was her problem. I don’t know what she wanted me to do with the racket she gave me. She can put it in another place,” Azarenka said.

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"Who gives the racquet in 2024? Somebody who acts like a b*tch, I'll be a b*tch too. I won’t start it but if you want to play, let’s play. I’m nice until someone provokes me," the 10-time WTA 1000 champion added.

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