This tennis icon slips to career-low ranking amid prolonged absence from the court

Former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka has seen her ranking take a dramatic hit as her prolonged absence from professional tennis continues to raise concerns.

Once a dominant force on the WTA Tour, the Belarusian star has now dropped to one of the lowest positions of her career.

A champion’s fall in rankings

Azarenka, a two-time Grand Slam winner, famously claimed back-to-back titles at the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013. However, the former champion has not played a single match since her appearance at the US Open in August last year.

Her continued absence has had a significant impact on her standings. In the latest WTA rankings update, Azarenka has slipped a further 22 places to world No. 195 — her lowest ranking since March 2018. The decline places her on the brink of dropping outside the top 200, marking a stark contrast to her once-elite status.

Missed opportunities and mounting questions

Victoria Azarenka’s absence has seen her miss several key tournaments, including the Australian Open earlier this year — the first time she has skipped the event in six years.

More recently, she was also absent from Indian Wells, a tournament where she had reached the second round last season.

With ranking points continuing to drop, her position is expected to worsen further at the upcoming Miami Open, where she is set to lose additional points.

Uncertainty surrounds the future

The reasons behind Azarenka’s extended break remain unclear, as the veteran has not publicly addressed her absence. Adding to the uncertainty, she has also been inactive on social media since New Year’s Eve.

Now at 36, questions are beginning to surface about whether the former world No. 1 will return to competitive tennis. While her legacy as one of the sport’s most accomplished players remains intact, her current situation leaves fans and analysts speculating about what lies ahead.

For now, Victoria Azarenka’s career stands at a crossroads, with her ranking slide highlighting the challenges of prolonged inactivity in a highly competitive era of tennis.