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‘Truly Disappointing’ – Belarusian Star Victoria Azarenka Faces an Unexpected Visa Hurdle in Canada as She Announces Unfortunate News Ahead of National Bank Open 2022

Published 08/07/2022, 1:09 PM EDT

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via Reuters

Two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka recently returned to action at the Citi Open after missing almost a month of tennis. Due to the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the Wimbledon Championships decided to ban Russian and Belarusian players from the tournament. Many top players, including Azarenka, missed the championships because of that.

Recently, Azarenka announced another news, which could hurt her US Open preparations, as she was aiming for her third Grand Slam title.

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Victoria Azarenka announced her withdrawal from the Canadian Open 2022

In an earlier post on Twitter, Azarenka wrote, Hello everyone! I wanted to inform you that I unfortunately have to withdraw from the tournament in Toronto due to my visa not being approved. It’s truly disappointing.”

“It’s very sad to miss one of my favorite tournaments. I love to play in Canada with great fans and a place where made many friends over the years. Good luck to everyone at the event! See you in Cincinnati!, the Belarusian continued.

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This could be a huge blow for Azarenka as she just made her comeback to tennis at the Citi Open. Notably, the Belarusian looked in good touch in Washington as she reached the quarters. However, missing the Rogers Cup due to an unusual reason will surely hamper her preparations for the US Open.

Despite the disappointment, she wished the other participants all the best and looks to focus on making a strong comeback in Cincinnati.

Azarenka had a mixed bag season so far 

During the Miami Open earlier this year, Azarenka had a dramatic moment as she walked out of her third-round match against Linda Fruhvirtova. The two-time Grand Slam champion looked distressed as she walked out in the second set despite the chair umpire stopping her. 

Watch This Story: Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Coco Gauff, Venus Williams, Ash Barty, Naomi Osaka, Victoria Azarenka and other WTA players’ maiden tour titles 

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Later, she opened up about having issues in her personal life but apologized to the fans and her fellow player for leaving the court in such fashion.

Also, Azarenka had a similar meltdown at the French Open as well when she faced Ana Bogdan in the first round. In the first set, she looked visibly upset as she appeared to have lost her momentum. Because of the rain delay, Azarenka was able to gather herself and win the match in the end.

USA Today via Reuters

Currently, Azarenka is focusing on winning the US Open for the first time in her career. Notably, she reached the final of the US Open thrice in her career but luck was not on her side.

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How far can Azarenka go at the US Open this year? Let us know in the comments.

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Debkinkar Maity

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Debkinkar Maity is a Tennis Author at EssentiallySports. His desire to become a sports journalist inspired him to take up a degree in journalism and mass communication, and he hasn't looked back ever since. Following the sport for over a decade now, Debkinkar has an ardent love for Roger Federer.
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