"Super mom" Victoria Azarenka handily moves past CiCi Bellis in Miami

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla.— Three-time champion Victoria Azarenka enjoyed a homecoming at the Miami Open, breezing past CiCi Bellis in just over an hour, 6-3, 6-0. Though the Belarusian is in very familiar territory, it's her first time playing in Crandon Park as a mom. She played with her son's name inked on her shoes, commemorating the occasion of having Leo by her side in Miami.

"My perspective has changed. It's all about my little boy," Azarenka said. "I feel extra responsibility to make sure I can lead by a good example. I want to be the best example possible.

"I want to be my son's super hero."

Andrew Patron/BigShots

She was pretty heroic inside Stadium 1 on Wednesday. Facing 18-year-old Bellis, Azarenka came up with the bigger shots on her first strikes (her serve and return). With full shrieks and fuller swings off both wings, she looked just like her old 2016 self, the one that won both Indian Wells and Miami in the same month.

Bellis, though she's an aggressive player, is more of a counter puncher, and her errors cost her. She covers the court incredibly well and gets a lot of balls back, but Azarenka was ready to put in the work. The 28-year-old's serve helped a ton: Azarenka’s first serves were consistently well over 100 mph while Bellis was in the low 90s.

Azarenka is trying to gain some momentum this season, and get her ranking up from its lowly No. 186. She ran into Sloane Stephens in the second round of Indian Wells, and the rust showed when she failed to capitalize on her opportunities in a 6-1, 7-5 loss.

"I've been thinking about all the memories I've had before. I love this tournament," Azarenka said. "I've done so well and I want to continue the same way."

Azarenka vs. Bellis match point and  post-match interview:

Azarenka and Bellis' first career meeting was actually at last year's Wimbledon, which happened to be Azarenka’s last event before stepping away to deal with a custody battle over one-year-old Leo.

While Bellis has proven she’s capable of securing the big wins (she's beaten Madison Keys and Karolina Pliskova this season), she’s very green. At just 18, she’s still learning the ropes of playing big-time matches on a week-in and week-out basis. Azarenka is light years ahead of her in terms of experience and it showed when she started steamrolling in the second set, all the way to 6-0.

"I'm very happy with today's performance. First matches are always tough and I haven't played in such a long time," Azarenka said. "To be able to play at that intensity the whole match is really good. I'm really happy with that. I'm such a perfectionist, I want to do better and better."

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