America’s Sloane Stephens admits her off-court relationship with Victoria Azarenka is “non-existent” as they head into a rematch of last year’s controversial Australian Open clash today.
Stephens said she had forgotten most of the events surrounding the 2013 semi-final, when Azarenka went for a medical timeout at a crucial moment, and then suggested she had called it to calm down.
The Belarusian was slow-handclapped as she returned to the court, but she defiantly ignored the hostile crowd to win the match and eventually the tournament.
Stephens and Azarenka both live in Los Angeles and they share an agent. But when asked if they ever socialised, the American was blunt. “I have literally never seen her in LA. So, no,” said the 20-year-old, who then gave a one-word answer to a question about their off-court relationship. “Non-existent,” she said.
The replies suggest an undercurrent of ill-feeling between the two, despite their insistence that the events of last year are forgotten.
“That has nothing to do with this year. I don’t even remember half the stuff that happened. It’s okay,” Stephens said.
“Like I said, it’s a new match. I mean, it will be Monday hopefully on the big court. It will be exciting.”
Azarenka, nicknamed “Vika”, also stonewalled when questioned about last year, answering “nothing” when asked what she had learned from the incident.
“What is there to learn? I mean, it was just a great experience for me to be playing in the final and winning the title,” she said. “That’s what I learned, I guess. I just learned how to win my second Grand Slam.”
However, Stephens warned that she would not be easily distracted this time around. “I don’t get flustered as easily, it’s something I have worked on,” she said.