Yes there are three versions of her name. The two first are in belarussian and the last one in russian.

True that Vika has a problem with heat--and I agree her USO withdrawal was prompted by the heat issue. (IMO the "concussion" theory conveniently covered some officials' butts.) Needs addressing in her training.

See how she does in the hot Spanish sun. (Next up at Marbella.)

But I think we'll hear much less of the slam over-hyping. Now that she's spending more time back home in Minsk--y'know what I'm saying?  

After Miami, Vika won Marbella on clay and reaches the Top5. 

Her race with Wozniacki continues. You go girl !

Originally Posted by: paul_pipkin 

  April 16-17

In the wake of the Oktyabrskaya metro station bombing (marginalized in Yankee media until our mouthpieces figure how to blame the tragedy on Lukashenko or otherwise insinuate the awful deed was actually a good thing ):

Вікторыя Азарэнка plays at home in Minsk! 

Vika Podcast at: http://www.fedcup.com/en...ie-excites-azarenka.aspx 

There may well be stream of this tie. If it were only the new ITF feed or Belarusian state TV, it would get blocked in the States. But there is a maverick Estonian channel that persists in following their tennis players. Watch for them. 

 

Belarus temporarily replaces Russia as the Western sports mouthpieces' chief hate-object. There is little doubt every effort will be made to block stream from this event, beginning 11:00 GMT, an hour later than the Moscow tie:

Venue: Palace of Sport, Minsk, Belarus

Azarenka, the world No. 5, faces Anett Kontaveit of Estonia, the Baltic No. 2, in the opening rubber at the Minsk Palace of 

Sport on Saturday, and is confident of putting Belarus in a strong position on day one.Her opponent, 15-year-old Kontaveit, is making only her second Fed Cup appearance, and although she knows she is unlikely to cause an upset, is confident that it will be an experience that will stand her in good stead.

Azarenka will be followed onto court by compatriot Olga Govortsova, who takes on Estonian No. 1 Margit Ruutel.

The Belarusian team paid a visit to meet the President last night, apparently got to watch him playing ice hockey for two 
hours... (snotty anonymous tweet on the ITF page.) Vika tweets:

i cant believe what happened in minsk...i cant stop thinking about and all the people...what the hell is wrong with this 
people who keep hurting and killing so many people...i just have no words...my deepest sorry to all the people in belarus..i 
pray and sending all my support (April 12th)

hey guys! just came back from official dinner for fed cup. im in minsk now getting ready to play on saturday..it was nice to see 
all the girls (This morning.)

In the dark, Belarus def Estonia 5-0 to enter World Group II.

US Tennis Channel's new "Tennisography" segment should be available on youtube by now. 

Do note that TTC has NOT chosen to perpetuate ESPN2's "Arizona Vicky" myth. Sure, they mention her time in Scottsdale with Khabibulin and show practices in Cali, but it's clear they understand (maybe because Sam Sumyk's wife was in on the production) that further efforts to divorce Vika from her Belarusian roots would beg an unpleasant public denunciation from Azarenka.

The segment ALSO includes a chapter studiedly omitted from all Yankeefied bios -- including Wikipedia: Vika's development at age 12 at an academy in Marbella Spain, long before she came to the States at 15.

Speaking of shit that goes unremarked: TTC shows a picture from her Scottsdale period--Vika with Khabibulin & his wife (friend of Vika's mum Alla), Khabibulin's daughter AND, standing beside Vika, Elena Vesnina.  Now what is that hook-up, hunh? I'll search for a .jpg. 

CROUCHING TIGER;311277 wrote:

Some time ago, so sorry for the quality:)

Thaz the one! That's what TTC used in the tennisography. Various pix of EV & Vika around, but this is Vesnina there with Vika's "second family" in Scottsdale. Interesting, hunh...

Whoa! I stand corrected! Who we see are Vika, Vesnina, Nikolai Khabibulin and I think his daughter Sasha -- and Elena Dementieva! Wow. When & where?

SO: Per Shoutbox discussion--this is a video capture from the Tennisography segment. The still photo was flashed with a voiceover about Vika & the Khabibulin family. (No mention of Elena V or Elena D. )

Download, blow up & examine. I say it is not so old--perhaps as recent as last fall--and possibly even after Dementieva's retirement.  

Or not. Vika has long been friends with a number of the Russian players. Whatever, this gathering speaks to linkages with which the Western media has not left us familiar. 

I am satisfied with this lineup. Vera, dangerously fatigued, did not need to get whacked by Petra here. Better for her to recoup to try & deal with Kvitova in Moscow.

Their "Arizona Vicky" crap having crashed, the bosses would typically tilt for Petra as an "honorary Westerner" against the Belarusian. Indeed, their mouthpieces automatically assume that is the party line.

Still, Petra is from beyond the increasingly rigid "iron curtain" line along the 15° E longitude.  Dunno how the fine points of bias will play out here.

Correct. They are shell-shocked by this Eastern extravaganza. 10,000+ daily & 16-20,000 for the final--in Istanbul. To watch an eastern Czech play a Belarusian. They'd best just put Asderaki to ajudicate & forget about it. 

The aging Americans won the doubles, so WTA will tell you that was what was really important in this YEC. LOL

Agree. No disrespect but Caro, Petra & Vika don't look like a dominant "constellation" to me.  Not hardly stable. Caro has been more consistent that the other two--and lately not so much.