As the Canadian Fed Cup team prepares to face Belarus, the question is: where is Victoria Azarenka?
As the hours tick down to the official draw for the Fed Cup World Group II tie between Canada and Belarus in Quebec City Friday at noon, there is one burning question:
Where on Earth is Vika?
The team's star, a former No. 1 and Grand Slam champion, was to arrive late Tuesday afternoon. So far, she's MIA.
The press conference on Wednesday, as reported in La Presse, was an exercise in unintentional hilarity.
"We are still awaiting Victoria's arrival. We still have time before submitting the final lineup," Belarus captain Eduard Dubrou said, in Belorussian.
Asked to clarify/translate, the head of the Belarus federation was asked where Azarenka was.
"She is preparing," Anton Yuspa said.
Where?
"It's a secret. We'll see if she'll be or not. We're not surprised, we have until Friday. We are still optimistic," he said.
It was all very hush-hush and super-top-secret. But on Tuesday morning, Azarenka Tweeted this.
Well, that's probably that, if we read our emojis correctly.
The Belarussians added there had been a failure in communications with the Tennis Canada people in Quebec City, who were under the impression that Azarenka was due to arrive from Australia, on the same flight as 17-year-old Vera Lapko. Lapko, one of the three other members of the Belarus team along with Olga Govortsova and Aliaksandra Sasnovitch, won the Australian Open junior girls' singles title Saturday (Azarenka was the only other Belarussian to win that title, 11 years ago).
Azarenka still hasn't qualified for the Rio Olympics, needing one tie this year to complete the requirements. Her only other opportunity will be in April in a playoff tie - but she has no way of knowing for sure if she'll be healthy 2 1/2 months from now.
It's not like a few years ago, when "making yourself available to play", then bowing out because of injury, was good enough to count.
Eh Game asked Azarenka in Australia, the day before the official nominations were announced and she was on the list, whether she intended to play. "I haven't decided," she responded, curtly. To be fair, she had just lost to Angelique Kerber, a match she was very much favoured to win and a golden opportunity to win her third Australian Open title.
All the super-secret obfuscation is really such a waste of time; it's not as though Tennis Canada can call Genie Bouchard in as a last-minute addition to the team on Friday, to bolster Canada's chances if Azarenka is a no-show. Bouchard has already confirmed she won't play.
A little paranoia, maybe?
The Belarus delegation is reportedly some 15 people strong – most of them, it seems, making the trip to cater to Azarenka's every need, and in anticipation of a victory and a shot at making World Group I for the first time.
After the captains' meeting held on Thursday, there still had been no change in the nominations.
Anyhow ... Azarenka's absence would boost the Canadian hopes, although it's still a longshot. They have Govortsova, who has played the WTA event in Quebec City several times and feels at home; she's ranked No. 74. Sasnovitch is ranked No. 99 and Lapko, obviously, is riding a wave of confidence.
On the flipside, the Canadians have Aleksandra Wozniak, still making her way back from shoulder surgery, Françoise Abanda (who had a great win against Romania in Fed Cup a year ago but who is an inconsistent performer) and Carol Zhao. None are ranked in the top 300.
On ability, all are capable of a big win. But all are unknown commodities.
The Vika watch continues.
