Victoria Azarenka displayed incredible resilience during her second-round match at the US Open on Wednesday, overcoming a debilitating migraine to secure a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Clara Burel. The former world number one dominated the opening set, winning the first five games. However, she faced a sudden setback in the second set, falling behind 3-1 and visibly struggling with the bright lights at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Azarenka’s discomfort was evident as she broke down in tears, complaining of a migraine. She requested medical attention, leading to a nearly five-minute stoppage. The doctor checked her blood pressure and administered medication. This disruption seemed to shift the momentum in Azarenka’s favor, as Burel made several unforced errors after the restart. Azarenka capitalized on this, winning the next four games to clinch the match.
Despite the victory, Azarenka appeared visibly affected. She barely celebrated and immediately retreated to her seat, covering her head with a towel and putting on sunglasses.
“I don’t know how I played the match,” Azarenka admitted in her post-match interview. “I just tried to, you know, hope that it’s going to get better a little bit.” She explained her reason for wearing sunglasses, stating, “It looks probably weird and awkward on TV. But I have a chronic migraine sometimes and it couldn’t be a worse time to start it, on the match. It’s just tough to deal with.”
The twice Australian Open champion will next face China’s Wang Yafan in the third round.
