World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka tells reporters in Dubai that she does not mind having a target on her back. Coming off her third title run of the year in Doha, Azarenka has started the season 17-0, the best WTA start since Maria Sharapova went 18-0 in 2008. Serena Williams went 21-0 at the start of 2003, and Martina Hingis posted a 37-0 record at the beginning of 1997, before Iva Majoli stopped her streak in the Roland Garros final. Steffi Graf holds the all-time record for the best start to a year by winning 45 straight matches at the start of the 1987 season.
"Definitely, the other players will have more motivation to play against me,” Azarenka said. "And it's no different for me as I want to beat them too. I am the biggest fan of competition. I am that kind of person who is never satisfied. I want to always try to do better. It's not only in tennis, but in life as well. I want to be really competitive and I never want to lose."