Victoria Azarenka has been out of sight, but not out of mind as she prepares for the birth of her first child. The soon-to-be new mom recently showed off her belly bump (sort of) as she caught up with the Tennis Channel about what she misses most about the tour.
"Tennis is my career, but there's a different part of life,” the former No. 1 said. “This was a blessing, a gift from God. I believe I still have a great opportunity to do what I love, as long as I love playing tennis."
Azarenka says being away from the game has its ups and downs, but on the positive side, she has more free time than ever.
“I'm doing a lot of activities I didn't have time to do before; being at home and sleeping in my own bed is really a luxury for a traveling athlete,” she said.
On the other hand, it’s tough for a natural competitor to be sidelined.
"I miss the fans,” she said. “I miss that moment when you go on the court and it's go time. That competitive edge is definitely something I'm missing.”
Azarenka announced her pregnancy in July, with a due date set roughly for the end of the year. As for when she’ll be back, the two-time grand slam champion said it’s too early to make predictions.
"I'm not going to rush anything, and it's hard to tell before the birth actually happens," the 27-year-old said. "So, we'll see, but I'm confident that I'll be able to play tennis again pretty soon."