MELBOURNE – Former world number one Victoria Azarenka appeared to have breathing difficulties Tuesday as she crashed out of the Australian Open in a straight-sets loss to Jessica Pegula.
The 12th seed needed two medical timeouts in the second set after looking distressed and flushed.
Azarenka, who endured a hard hotel quarantine on arrival in Melbourne, used an inhaler to curb apparent breathing problems but gamely fought on before succumbing 7-5, 6-4 in one hour and 39 minutes.
“It was tough for her, she wasn’t well but I just focused on myself,” said American Pegula, ranked 61.
Azarenka, the 2012 and 2013 Australian Open champion, had pulled out of the quarter-finals of the warm-up Grampians Trophy due to…
