Dubai: World number one Victoria Azarenka feels it's the losses, rather than the victories last year, that have helped her evolve into a more complete player that she is today.
"I am more of a complete player now. I have a better and a clear mind once I am on court and I know what I am doing," Azarenka told media at the pre-tournament press conference for top-seeded players here.
"I know that it is never going to be easy for me or how I want things to be. Maybe before it did not come the way I wanted it to, but now I know the ways to turn things around. It's a different mentality and a different approach. And this has come from a lot of experience, most of from matches that I lost last year," the Australian Open champion said.
The top-seeded player here this week has had a dream run in 2012 so far claiming her first title at the Apia International in Sydney before powering her way to the top of the women's rankings and her first Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open.
And then last week, starting her first tournament as the new world number one, she defeated Samantha Stosur in straight sets on Sunday to clinch the 2012 Qatar Total Open.
Not a miracle
"It's hard to put down my success to one particular thing. It's not a miracle that has happened. Behind the success there has been a lot of hard work from behind the scene. I give credit to all the experiences that I have had last year. There may have been some unfortunate losses and some good losses that I learnt from," she said.
And now being at the top of her game and the rankings, Azarenka realises that she will be the one being targeted by the rest of the players on tour.
"Definitely, the other players will have more motivation to play against me. And it's no different for me as I want to beat them too. I am the biggest fan of competition. I am that kind of person who is never satisfied. I want to always try to do better. It's not only in tennis, but in life as well. I want to be really competitive and I never want to lose," she admitted.
"I am trying to do my best every day without worrying too much about the results. I don't think about the results, but I don't want to have any regrets when I go off the court," she added. At 22, there are comparisons galore between Azarenka and men's world number one Novak Djokovic, more due to their outgoing personalities. However, the Belarussian begs to be different.
