Azarenka shrugs off Djokovic comparison

DUBAITop-ranked Victoria Azarenka is pleased with her 17 straight victories so far this season, but the Australian Open champion is not about to compare her winning streak with Novak Djokovic’s all-conquering start to last season just yet.“I am honored to have the comparison because he is a great champion, but I have a lot of work to do to catch up with him,” Azarenka said. Djokovic went 41 matches unbeaten at the start of last season.The 22-year-old Azarenka is the top-seeded player at the Dubai Tennis Championships, which started Monday amid a rash of withdrawals. The field also includes defending champion Caroline Wozniacki and U.S. Open winner Sam Stosur, but Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, French Open winner Li Na and Vera Zvonareva all withdrew because of illness and injury.Last week, Zvonareva retired from the Qatar Open while trailing Monica Niculescu of Romania 7-5, 3-2 because of pain in her left hip. Kvitova pulled out of that event with an unspecified injury.However, Azarenka shook off a lingering ankle injury to win the Qatar Open on Sunday, routing Australia’s Stosur 6-1, 6-2.The Belorussian’s 17th straight victory sealed her first title since replacing Wozniacki at the top of the rankings after winning in Melbourne. The Doha victory was Azarenka’s third title of 2012, having started out by winning the Sydney tournament.

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Azarenka shrugs off Djokovic comparison