MELBOURNE — Victoria Azarenka's hopes of a remarkable comeback Australian Open victory crumbled under Angelique Kerber's winners on Wednesday but the Belarusian was pleased with solid three weeks Down Under that made her feel she had turned a corner.
The twice champion at Melbourne Park had been battling a foot injury for two years, which combined with a plummeting ranking and the breakdown in a personal relationship had contributed to bouts of depression.
The 26-year-old, however, reproduced some of the tennis that had made her world number one over the last three weeks in Australia, with many tipping her as a potential winner of the year's opening grand slam.