MELBOURNE —Victoria Azarenka said she did not get her post-quarantine preparations right for the Australian Open after the former champion was knocked out in the first round of the Grand Slam by main draw debutant Jessica Pegula on Tuesday.
The Belarusian 12th seed, beaten 7-5 6-4, was one 72 players unable to leave their rooms to train for 14 days ahead of the tournament after passengers on their flights to Melbourne tested positive for COVID-19.
Azarenka, who won both her Grand Slam titles at Melbourne Park in 2012 and 2013, said the isolation had taken a toll.
“Was that the best preparation for me? No,” she told a news conference. “The biggest impact for me personally h…
Keep on reading: Azarenka says quarantine took a toll after early exit