Victoria Azarenka has been having a tough time during her elongated return to the WTA tour. On Tuesday, she suffered another setback, losing her first round at the Australian Open to Laura Siegemund, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-2.

The Belarusian's emotions tumbled out during post-match press.

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"I don’t think sitting here today I have failed, but I am struggling," the two-time Australian Open champion said. "Failing is when you give up and you don’t try again. I’m struggling. If I’m going to continue to struggle, to get out of that, that’s what I have to do and that’s what I’m going to do."

Siegemund is similarly fighting her way back to her top form—in her case from a serious knee injury in 2017. A former world No. 27 in 2016, the 30-year-old is only back up to No. 110. It's her first Grand Slam win since the 2016 US Open.

Azarenka’s tale is different. Since stepping away to have her son Leo in 2016, she’s been fighting a heated custody battle with her ex-boyfriend Billy McKeague. After some stops and starts (she played just two events in 2017), and raising her ranking up to just No. 53, Azarenka was looking to get off to a good start in what should be her first full season back.

Instead, she lost in the first round of Auckland to Venus Williams and couldn't find her way to the finish line in Melbourne Arena. In press, a question near the end of her 10-minute interview about where she finds her strength sent her over the edge.

"I’ve been through a lot of things in my life—sometimes I wonder why I go through them," the 29-year-old said. "But I think they’re going to make me stronger. I want to believe that. And I’m going to work hard for it. So sometimes I just need a little time and patience, and a little support."

The good news for Azarenka is that there's a long year ahead to try again.

Follow Nina on Twitter @ninapantic1.

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WATCH: Azarenka's 
emotions spill over
in Melbourne

WATCH: Azarenka's emotions spill over in Melbourne

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