Victoria Azarenka sidesteps awkward Russia question after Wimbledon first-round win

WATCH: Belarus' Victoria Azarenka talks Venus Williams and name-drops Caroline Wozniacki after sidestepping "poor" Russia-related question

After their controversial ban last year, the return of Russian and Belarusian players to Wimbledon has understandably become the hottest topic in the press room on opening Monday. But things got a little awkward after one “poor” question was quickly shut down by former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka.

So far, the reception for players around the grounds has been largely neutral. As the Associated Press described it: “No protests. No boos. No shouts in support of Ukraine—or against the returning players.”

“Just like I never left, honestly,” said No. 19 seed Azarenka, after her 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 win over Yuan Yue on Court 15. “It feels good to be playing here…

“I felt like I was very welcomed everywhere. I have been very supported everywhere. And I really appreciate that part.”

Throughout the day, several Russian players—from Andrey Rublev to Veronika Kudermetova and Liudmila Samsonova—were called into press conferences to comment, quizzed on everything from the crowd’s reception, to the relationship between Russian and Ukrainian players in locker room, to the tournament’s prestige in Russia.

But when this latter question was posed to Azarenka, it was met with equal parts amusement and confusion—making for one uncomfortable exchange. (See video above.)

“What does Wimbledon mean to Russia? Is it big over there? Just in terms of the part it plays in culture,” one Telegraph journalist asked.

“You do know I'm not from Russia, right?” the Minsk-born player responded. The journalist still doubled down on his line of questioning, admitting that it was “a poor question”, before Azarenka eventually threw him a bone:

“I think on [the] international stage, Wimbledon is undoubtedly one of the biggest tennis events, and it's always been,” she said. “It's the oldest tournament in history. So it's iconic. It is iconic.

“How it is in Russia? I'm not from Russia, I can't really tell you how it feels in Russia.”

Afterward, Azarenka was much more inclined to speak about Wimbledon’s second-most discussed topic: the return of five-time champion Venus Williams.

The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion has struggled with injuries in recent years, including a hamstring injury that sidelined her for most of 2023. But Venus has shown her vintage quality as she returned to action during grass season, toppling Camila Giorgi in Birmingham for her first Top 50 win since 2019. She earned a wild card into the women’s singles event at Wimbledon as a result.

The American recently said on her YouTube channel that she has plans to play Wimbledon until she was 50 if she could, and that dedication to the sport resonated with Azarenka.

“The way that Venus comes and fights and still goes after what she wants, it's really admirable,” Azarenka said of the 43-year-old. “I'm not going to lie. I have asked probably the same questions, ‘But why?’

“But once you kind of see her on the court, once you see her in the gym, you can see the passion that she's doing it with, and then you're, like, ‘Oh, okay, I get it. She really loves it.’”

“I also take inspiration, like, you kind of have to remind yourself sometimes why do you do things?” Azarenka added. “Because it's so easy to get caught in results and expectations and everything. Those moments of little inspiration I definitely take them for myself.

“I'm very happy to see her, first of all, healthy and playing here and for the tournament and for the women's tennis. It's amazing.”

Azarenka advanced to face Nadia Podoroska of Argentina in the second round, while Venus Williams faces Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in the first round on Monday.