Q. You're obviously an incredibly courageous athlete, come from Belarus, overcome this terrible injury, and this is your biggest win in and a very happy win for you.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yes.

Q. I must do my job and ask you whether you heard the comments that Mr. Moore made.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I did.

Q. As a woman who has put all you have into this sport, could you reflect on those, please?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I think it's something that, again, we have to work through as women. Men don't get those comments. I don't want to address or insult anybody like we got a little bit.

But I have just spoken to Paul, [sic] and he apologized. My thing is I don't understand any man comments in general towards women, because as simple as that, every single person on earth was brought and was born by a woman, right?

Right?

Q. Absolutely.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I think that's a good comment and I think people should remember that sometimes.

Q. I want to also ask you this as someone who has followed you with great joy.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Thank you.

Q. Throughout your career. Let's face it. You and other women were criticized harshly for the sounds they made on court, while men, from Jimmy Connors onward, basically were not. Did that ever cross your mind, that there was a gender difference and a response there?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I think it's still a problem in the world. It's not just in sports. It's in business. We try to talk about the equality. Sometimes it just gets unrecognized. I think what women do best is rise above those comments. You don't hear complaints or bad comments towards men.

From my perspective, if we rise above that and keep working hard in everything we do, we're better. We're better at taking opportunities and being graceful. Why do you have to make the comment? Who cares? Who cares? Simple as that. Just to make more drama or jokes?

I mean, if that makes that person feel better or bigger or whatever, it's a pretty sad person, I think. Because if you're happy you don't care what other people do. You just take care of you.

I think that's more important to focus on us. That's what women players and examples like Venus and Serena and other players have been doing for -- you know, we got it from Billie Jean King where she proved everybody, Hey, look at me. I started something, so let's go after it.

So I think it's our duty to keep just working hard through whatever comments there is. We've got to rise above that.

Q. You commented about the grunting at Wimbledon last year, your reaction to it. Do you think this is something you have embraced more as you have gotten older in this sport, embracing this role as being a leader for women through your status as a top athlete?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I believe in giving back to a sport that gave me so much. I'm very passionate. I see how hard it is to make something out of yourself and stand your ground, so I believe that it's my duty for players maybe after me or during this time to really have this respect for our sport.

I think that comes with it. Through the years, yeah. The comments, the grunting. I, don't care about this. I could give less of shit about it.

Because to me, I work my butt off on the court to try to win the match. And whatever it takes, I'm going to do it.

Q. Do you think that Raymond Moore's apology is a little disingenuous given the nature of the comments he made just a few hours previously?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I'm trying not to think about it. As all my other comments, I'm not gonna bring somebody down. I'm just gonna rise above that.

Today I think it was a great match. It was a great day for women's sport. Isn't it international happiest day or something like this? That's what I heard. Why can't we just be happy and enjoy and support each other, because that's what the world is missing a little bit.

It's the support towards each other. Not just bashing and, oh, who is prettier or who is this, who has more, who has less.

Let's just take care of each other.