Azarenka may skip Open over custody stoush

Two-time grand slam winner Victoria Azarenka says she may withdraw from the US Open as she is unwilling to part with her son during legal proceedings to separate from her former partner.

Azarenka returned to action in June, after the birth of her son Leo last December, and reached the last 16 at the Mallorca Open in June and Wimbledon in July during her comeback.

The 28-year-old, who reached the finals at the US Open in 2012 and 2013, remains optimistic that legal arrangements can be worked out to allow her to compete shortly.

“The way things stand now is that the only way I can play in the US Open this year is if I leave Leo behind in California, which I’m not willing to do,” the Belarusian said in a statement.

“Balancing child care and a career is not easy for any parent, but it is a challenge I am willing to face and embrace … No one should ever have to decide between a child and their career, we are strong enough to do both.

“I look forward to hopefully having positive developments soon so that this difficult situation can be resolved and I can get back to competing.”

The US Open begins on August 28.

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