'Ready' Azarenka wants maiden Grand Slam title 'really bad'

Melbourne, Jan 27(ANI): Belarusian tennis ace Victoria Azarenka has said she is ready to perform to the best of her potential in the Australian Open final clash with Russian opponent Maria Sharapova.

Both Azarenka and Sharapova will compete for the Open title and World No. 1 ranking in the final showdown at the Rod Laver Arena.

"I really want it bad," Azarenka said, after ousting defending champion Kim Clijsters.

Azareanka played her first tour match at 13 but admitted that her inability to control her emotions proved to a major hurdle in making a mark until reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2011,The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

"Before, you all thought I was a mental case. I was just young and emotional. For sure I had - how do you call that - meltdowns? There you go," the new and improved Azarenka added on Friday. Yeah, I had some. For sure you can see some on YouTube," Azarenka said.

"But I grow as a player, I grow as a person and I try to learn from my mistakes and make it better. So I'm proud of what I'm doing. I just want to keep going and keep raising that level," she added.

Azarenka has faced Sharapova six times and defeated her thrice, while both have wo wins apiece on hardcourts.

Azarenka, though, leading 2-0 in finals against Sharapova said "anything can happen" in the final.

"It's different stage of a tournament. It's a battle for giving really your all and how well you can manage it," she added.

Meanwhile, 2008 Australian Open champion Sharapova said she would not under estimate her opponent.

"I mean, she's a really, really good player and I haven't had great success against her in the last couple of events that we've played against each other. I'd really like to change that. It will be important to tactically play right," Sharapova said. (ANI)