TheSportsCampus

The accolades - be it the No.1 ranking in the WTA list released on Monday or the Order of the Motherland medallion from the government of Belarus - have just started pouring in for the 22-year old Victoria Azarenka. After all those years of near misses, of injury breakdowns and psychological blow-ups, her triumph at the 2012 Australian Open is a definite signal of the transformation of the temperamental girl into a mature lady.

Her reaction after winning the 2012 Australian Open said it all. Overwhelmed with disbelief at what had just transpired, the still very young Azarenka almost went into a trance. After regaining consciousness, she ran across to her box and thanked her coach Sam Sumyk who, as if to assist in the 'sinking in' process, repeatedly reminded her that it was her moment.

It surely was. And yet the expression of gratitude in her demeanour and her victory speech was unmistakable. After years of training, sweating it out in practice and in the gym, working on the mental aspect of her game, all the effort had finally paid off and she was grateful to all the people who had faith in her and who played a part in her poetic rise to the top.

"I want to thank my parents, my friends, my boyfriend and my grandmother - the person who inspires me most in my life." said Azarenka. It was infact her grandmother who cajoled her into continuing with the sport after she was planning to quit the sport during a rough patch and focus on academics in 2011.

"My parents worked so hard for me to have a chance to be a tennis player that I can never thank them enough. I want to thank my team - you guys have been supporting me for so long, believing in me and making me realize I can believe in myself and can finally raise this trophy."

Though she was always projected as the future of women's tennis at the start of her professional career, Azarenka's transition from a supremely talented junior to the world's best on the senior circuit has not been entirely smooth.

After winning the Junior Australian Open and US Open titles in 2005, the 16 year old Azarenka made her slam main draw debut at the 2006 Australian Open against India's Sania Mirza. Though she did give a glimpse of the potential she possessed, her tempestuous behavior didn't win her any friends or do her any good as she lost that match. However, by the end of the year, she had a 3rd round US Open entry to her credit and a top 100 ranking on her CV.

What followed was a steady rise on the charts, as she broke into the top 30 in 2007 and then finished within the top 20 by the end of 2008. But her first significant breakthrough came at the start of 2009 when she started the year with a 24-2 win loss record, winning three WTA titles in the process including a victory over Serena Williams in the Miami final. Her consistent performance throughout the year meant that she was rewarded with a first ever place in the season-ending WTA championships. Her highlight in 2010 was a narrow 3 set Australian Open quarter-final loss to eventual champion Serena Willams, a match in which she lead 6-4, 4-0. However, she took her next big stride in 2011 reaching the semi-finals of Wimbledon and the quarters at Roland Garros and ended the year with a career best ranking of No. 3 in the world.

She came into the Australian Open on the back of an amazing win at Sydney. A player who was once accused of literally grunting her way to victory was still grunting, the difference being that this time the mind had matured to match the intensity of the grunt. It was not just grunt, it was a purposeful grunt. The Belarusian summed up the change in attitude beautifully.

''Earlier, I was young. I think I didn't really handle that success too well ... I didn't really think that I needed to improve more. Now I have a different approach. I'm never satisfied. I'm very hungry and I want to be better and better every day I step on the court. And not only on the court - when I do work in the gym''

Quite obviously, it is this hunger which will determine the course of her future in the game. And unsurprisingly the Belarusian is in no mood to stop at one slam - she wants more. Infact, she lights up at the possibility of having to face the top players in the world with 'the woman to beat' tag.

In a recent interview to The Age, Azarenka said, ''I think a lot more people will have more motivation to beat me ... I think it's really exciting to go on the court and you have somebody on the other side who really, really wants to beat you. I enjoy that challenge so much.''

With this new found zeal and drive for success, something which eluded her during a trying early 2011 period, the Belarusian seems to be set for a bright future. And if she continues to move forward in this manner, silverware can never be too far behind.

File Photograph Copyright: Porsche Tennis Grand Prix