Maria Sharapova says that from the first time that she played Victoria Azarenka, she knew the Belarusian was going to be a very good player. Azarenka is now the world No. 1. The two will face off in the semifinals of the U.S. Open. Azarenka has won two out of their three matches this year, including in the Australian Open final.
“I think many people expected her to win a Grand Slam earlier than she did,” said Sharapova, who first faced the 23-year-old in Moscow in 2007. “She always had a solid game. She was always a little mentally fragile. Felt like she would bang her racquet and yell, and you kind of see that on the court. But I think with age and maturing that obviously you learn so much by playing matches. You learn what helps you get motivated, what helps you get going. I thought she would be at a high level, definitely.”