Azarenka, 31, was ranked 27th going into the US Open. She won two Australian Opens in 2012 and 2013 and, according to NBC Sports, made 16 Grand Slam quarterfinals prior to giving birth to her son Leo at the end of 2016. She won the Western & Southern Open last month after Naomi Osaka withdrew due to a hamstring injury, which became Azarenka's first tournament title since 2016.
Azarenka revealed that she doesn't know if she feels different competing as a mother. "I don't identify myself on the tennis court as a mother. I still identify myself as a tennis player," she added. "Me being in the quarterfinals, I didn't get there by being a parent. I got there by being a tennis player. But it feels amazing that I can share this moment and hopefully be a good role model to my son."
In an interview with ESPN, Azarenka said that she hopes her and the other moms' victories at the US Open are inspiring for women. She wants to show them "that they [can] continue to go for their dreams," and "continue to do what they want to do."