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Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka has talked down fears of a potential knee injury after the Belarusian was knocked out of the Brisbane International by compatriot Aryna Sabalenka.
The 34-year-old succumbed 6-2 6-4 to her Fed Cup teammate and world No.2 Sabalenka in Saturday night’s semi-final.
She appeared to jar her knee when stretching for a shot on the first point of the final game, wincing and then dropping the speed of her serve as 25-year-old Sabalenka broke to clinch the contest.
But Azarenka dismissed the suggestion of a knee injury post-match, instead saying it was the rigours of match play that had contributed to pain in her side.
“It was from the beginning of the match,” she said.
“I wasn’t able to do what I wanted on the serve today and it makes it much harder to play against Aryna that way.
“It’s just been a while since I played tournaments, day after day. I’ll be fine.”
In a second set of high quality, Sabalenka saved break points in her final two service games before pouncing after her compatriot’s mishap in the first point of the final game.
Her victory sets up a Brisbane final against Kazakh world No.4 Elena Rybakina, who Sabalenka narrowly beat in last year’s Australian Open final.
“I hope she’s OK and will be ready for Melbourne,” Sabalenka said post-match of Azarenka, winner of the Open in 2012 and 2013.
“High-quality match; we both played really, really great tennis and I wish her a speedy recovery, hope she is doing well.”
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