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Azarenka primed for final

Azarenka primed for final

01/27/2012 05:25:17 AM

Third seed Victoria Azarenka is unconcerned by her inexperience in Grand Slam finals as she prepares to take on fourth seed Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open final on Saturday night.

Azarenka, 22, has always been thereabouts in the major tournaments with four quarter-final appearances and a semi-final at Wimbledon last year her best results.

That was until this year when she carried on her good form winning the Sydney International to progress to the final in Melbourne with tough three-set wins over eighth seed Agnieszka Radwanska and defending champion Kim Clijsters the highlights of her run to the final.

It will be the first Grand Slam final of her career, while her opponent – 24-year-old Sharapova – will be contesting her sixth and third in Melbourne.

"No, it's no concern for me. I mean, worked hard to be in this situation, so why stress about it?" she said on Friday.

"I want it and that's what I'm looking for, so I'm just going to go out there and try to do my best."

The two have met six times with each player winning three times, but Azarenka said past matches count for nothing with the stakes so high.

"The difference, as I was saying before, in finals anything can happen. It's different stage of a tournament," she said.

"It's a battle for giving really your all and how well you can manage it. I don't really want to take the back experience."

"Of course I know Maria's game; she knows my game. So of course it's going to be a little bit of a similarity there."

"But I mean, it's going to be a different match; whole different approach."

The match has been billed as a 'screamathon' with the two loudest girls on tour going head-to-head and Azarenka is sick of the constant questions about her grunting on court.

"Oh, my God. Every, every press conference. Can you surprise me sometimes with a different question?" she said.

"No, I mean, whatever people call us, you know. I respect every opinion. That's it for me, you know."

"I guess some people are just bored, you know. They created that machine that can measure it. So I mean, money well spent, huh? (Thumbs up.)"

"Yeah, I mean, it doesn't bother me. As I said, I respect every opponent. Whatever they do, they try to do their best job. I think that's fair enough."

Azarenka is already guaranteed a career-high ranking of No.2 in the world, but if she wins on Saturday night she will assume the top position, although it's something that she isn't really thinking about.

"You guys love doing that, huh? You know, let's talk about it tomorrow. Then I'll tell you my feelings, okay? Fair enough?" she said.

"It's pretty easy, I mean, if you don't really think about it. First I think I have a really tough match to play."

"Whatever is the trophy or ceremony, it comes after. Before the match nothing actually is going to happen."

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

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