AFP, Brisbane :
Former world number one Victoria Azarenka moved into the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International when she downed little-known Belgian Ysaline Bonaventure 6-3, 6-2 on Wednesday.
Bonaventure, who had lost in the final qualifying round, gained a main draw spot when top seed Simona Halep pulled out with a leg injury on Tuesday.
She pushed the two-time grand slam winner hard, particularly in the 56-minute first set when she blasted 18 clean winners.
But once Azarenka weathered the storm she was able to master the 21-year-old Belgian and was never really troubled thereafter.
“I think the beginning definitely was really tough,” said 26-year-old Azarenka.
“She played very well. You know, it’s always a little bit of a moment of adaptation when you don’t know who you play, so it’s an adjustment.
“But I’m glad I could stay strong in the beginning and turn it around, because it wasn’t going my way at first for sure.”
Azarenka spent 51 weeks as world number one in 2012 but suffered a severe foot injury in 2014, finishing the year at 32.
She was then hampered by a left thigh problem in 2015, which affected her climb back to the top 10.
Azarenka started the year at number 22 and is unseeded this week.
