As "secret weapon" Serena Williams began to work for Victoria Azarenka. Sparring partner Williams went to Azarenka Sasha Bazhin instagram

While Alexandra Sasnovich was giving an interview on the court after her success in the match with Russian Margarita Gasparyan, the entire Belarusian team rejoiced and congratulated each other,...

While Alexandra Sasnovich was giving an interview on the court after her success in the match with Russian Margarita Gasparyan, the entire Belarusian team was jubilant and congratulated each other, because it was an early victory over the Russian team. And Victoria is truly historic: the team of Belarus, our geographical neighbors, entered the world group, eight strongest cup Federation.

Children hunting for photographs and autographs have already hung on the side, which usually limits the space of the Luzhniki ISA, in order to catch one of the athletes, but they are facing an equally interesting character - Sasha Bazhin, or simply Big Sasha, who once worked with Serena Williams and now a sparring partner Victoria Azarenka. Tall, fashionable and pleased with the victory, he easily takes pictures, signs autographs and responds to the chants of the audience “Be-la-rus!”. I also tried to catch him: “Sasha, I would like to do an interview with you ...”. To which he: “What kind of interview is there, we will celebrate now!”. A curtain. So we wouldn’t have talked to him if it weren’t for the help of a very responsive and agile press attaché of the Belarusian Tennis Federation Catherine Lisitsa, for which many thanks to her from the entire tennis editorial staff of the "Championship". I don’t know what words she found to persuade Big Sasha, who then ran out with the Belarusian flag to watch the doubles match, but after a while we still managed to talk to the accompaniment of the doubles match, which did not decide anything from the tournament point of view. Sasha answered diligently, honestly and not without a share of humor.

- Sasha, with the victory of you. Satisfied with the result?

Thank you! Certainly. Vika won two matches, the team won. Everything is fine.

- The dirt season for Vika is starting now. These games have become a good test and training?

Undoubtedly. Especially against Daria Kasatkina, she is a very difficult, young and promising player. Plus, they haven't played before. The Russian is having a great season and showing great results at such a young age. So it turned out really good test before the clay series of tournaments.

Often, female coaches and sparring partners say that it is not easy to work with girls because of the peculiarities of psychology ...

It seems to me that in any professional sport there is not much difference in this regard in working with girls or boys: there are moments that are easier with guys, and there are moments with girls. This is an individual sport, so what worked with Serena should not necessarily work for Vika. I had to learn a few things from working with her and I learned a lot from her, just as I hope she did from me. In general, there is a difference, but I won’t say that it’s more difficult or easier to work with girls, it’s just different. All are unique in their own way.

Serena said in an interview that you were like "a big brother to her, not just a guy who hits the ball from the opposite side of the court." What is your job, since you get such warm reviews?

Serena and I were very close, and we still are. I lived with her, Venus and two other girls in the same house for three years, so working with one is not a problem. ( Smiling.) By the way, this can be added to the answer to the previous question. A sparring partner or coach is a person who helps not only on the court, but also off it, in order to facilitate someone's work. Everything I can do to help Vika off the court so that she doesn’t worry about something once again, I do, even if it’s such small things as washing or going to the grocery store with her, so that she just knows that she doesn’t one. If there is a way to help her, I will definitely do it, this is also part of my job, because if she is happy off the court, she will endure good mood into the game and will perform even better.

There was such a book, and then the film “Love Lives for Three Years”. And if we talk about coaching cooperation, is there a limited period or not?

I worked with Serena for eight years and I understand very well that this is an incredibly long period, we were very close, even super close. And the hardest part of the job, like mine, is that you communicate every day, it's almost like a married life: if you see someone daily, you can quickly get tired of each other. I know what she likes and what she doesn't. This is an ordinary relationship in which you learn a lot about each other. And I used that knowledge to find new ways to motivate her, to make Serena laugh again, to try to make the workouts more interesting and not turn them into a routine, otherwise it would get boring for everyone too quickly. And after one or two years, it could happen like this: “Sasha, of course, you are a good guy, but I’m sorry, I’m just already tired that every day is the same.” Variety is important in order to keep the player’s positive attitude, and in order to push himself forward, to make the workflow more interesting.

What is the most difficult thing in your work, did you somehow pay attention to frequent trips and separation from your family, the inability to build your own?

Of course, constant traveling is hard, but you get used to it. Again, it’s not easy when the guys call you on vacation in the off-season, you can’t take your girlfriend, because we decided to relax in a male company. I also miss how my little sister is growing up, I don’t know what is happening with my grandmother and what can happen in my absence. I have a house in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where I spent four weeks at most last year, and it's my own house. But I wouldn't like to complain because it is a good life I am happy that I chose this path and this work. All I know is how to play tennis, I don't think I could do anything else. Of course, I want to be with my family at certain moments, for example, last year Vika lost to Serena on the day my father died. But these are just a few days that are especially difficult for you, but you try to think about all the other moments that remind you that it's worth it. I can go out on the court and play against the former world number one every day. It's an incredible experience, plus I get paid for it. There is nothing to complain about, although not everything is so simple.

Both Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka are top-level players, what do they have in common and how do they differ from each other?

The similarities are that they are both very determined and focused, they have a champion mindset, they go out on the court and want to win. Vika is one of the few girls who thinks and knows: "I'm here to win the tournament." It doesn't matter what kind of competition it is. I don't believe that if we come to the Grand Slam now, all of the 128 girls (although the boys are still the same) will say: "I'm going to win this title." If we take the women's tour, there are several such tennis players: Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, maybe Venus, then Garbine Muguruza and Petra Kvitov. Vika is among those few who really have this mindset of a winner, and no matter what she is in the ranking - even if she is 50th (she was on this line when we started working), she still went out to win and fight in every match, or number four or five, like now. In terms of differences, everyone is unique in their own way. Again, both of them are quite relaxed, although Vika is not yet at the same level as Serena, who can safely go for a walk and feel free, pursued by paparazzi and have more personal life, perhaps, this is the only difference. But in terms of competition, they are very similar, no wonder Vika is the ex-first racket of the world. Greatness recognizes greatness.

- Do you think Vika is ready to become a leader in women's tennis again?

While she wins everyone this season, so I think I'm ready ( smiling). There are still things that we need to work on, improving them, and we are doing so. She is on the right track, she has a great team behind her, everyone does their job. I believe that she can. Vika has a broad outlook, she listens to what she is told. I do not see anything that can prevent this, and time is at our service. So yes, I think she will be number one again, that's why I'm here.

- Was Vicki's victory over Serena in the Indian Wells final your job?

Well, I wouldn't say it's my job. We all work, as she herself said in Miami: “Teamwork gives results,” so it’s hard to say that this is someone’s personal merit. It's a lot of puzzle pieces put together. Of course, I could help her against this player a little more, because I know a lot more details from both sides, but in general this is the work of many people. Here you need to consider Vika as a company, if people did not devote themselves completely to work, the company would not grow by itself. But now we are doing well, which we are all very happy about.

- When you watch the match Williams - Azarenka, what do you feel?

We have been working with Vika for a year and two months now, but in Indian Wells, before the final, I saw the whole [Serena Williams] family - with my mother, sisters. You hug each other and then you walk to the bench on the opposite side of the court. It's not easy because I'm a very emotional guy, we were close and they are like my second family. I am very grateful to them for all the time that I was with them. But now is the time to help Vika on the court, this is my job, this is a business, so I have to do everything so that she wins. But after the outcome of the match is decided on the court, we are a family. Once a family, a family forever. But this is a very difficult moment.

Somehow you were asked what will happen after the end of cooperation with Serena or if she ends her career. You replied that you will continue to work with another tennis player from the WTA tour. Why not ATP?

I don’t even know, to be honest, because when I actually finished working with Serena, I wasn’t sure that I would continue with someone else, although the tennis circle is quite understandable, there are a lot of girls on the tour with whom I could collaborate. As a result, when our cooperation with Serena ended, I thought about what to do next, even reconnoitered the situation in several academies in order to go to work there, but it turned out much more successfully - Vika called me. If some tennis player from the men's tour offered me a job, I would not refuse either.

- "He's a slightly crazy guy, and in this we are similar," - that's what Serena Williams said about you. And if we asked Victoria Azarenka to characterize you, what would she say?

I do not even know ( laughs), you should definitely ask her.

- We will try to ask, but maybe you can suggest something so that we can compare?

I would like it to be only good, but I can’t answer the question about myself for someone else. I hope that he will say only good things about me and share a couple of funny stories that often happen to us.

I saw on your twitter that you were sharing links to the wiki column in Sports Illustrated. Maybe you can help her in some way?

No no no. She writes everything herself. And I'm impressed! I think she does an incredible job, which is why I enjoy reading her texts whenever they come out. I don't know what she'll write about, so I see them the same as everyone else when they're published. I know roughly the subject, she might come along and say, "You know, I'm going to write about this and that." I say: “Cool! When will it be possible to read?”, - but I never specify the details, I don’t want to know them in advance, I want to be like everyone else and wait for the column to be released in order to read. So I always look forward to it.

- At a press conference, she said that she writes something else besides articles, you know what?

To be honest, I don't know, so I don't have an answer. I see that she often makes notes for herself, no matter where she is, but I don’t know what and what it is about, but I don’t want to ask, because it seems to me that it’s personal.

- And if Victoria writes a book, buy it?

Oh god, of course! ( laughs.)

- Please tell us about the word "pinish". What does it mean and where did it come from?

Pinish? We need to file a patent for this word ( laughs). It, in fact, arose out of nowhere, it consisted of two: punish (punish) and finish (finish). It all started as a joke, I just kind of casually dropped it, saying, "Hey, you 'pin' that match yesterday really well." In response, I heard: "What, I'm sorry?". It was more like a joke, but it stuck and we started using it. I even used it in the design of my Twitter account. Perhaps we need to go further and, on this basis, create some charity event. So, it started as a joke, and now people like to use it.

- Maybe there are other such words?

No-no-no, just “pinish”, although I would not refuse.

- Who is your favorite in the ATP tour?

I have to say it's Novak [Djokovic]. I really like him. Novak is number one, I like his playing style, efficiency, mentality. good athletes a lot, but I would single it out.

- Do you know any words in Russian?

I know, but they're all bad, so I can't pronounce. (He said in a mysterious voice, pointing to the recorder). Although, perhaps, I have one favorite word - "chicken", because that's all I eat ( laughs).

- That is, if someone swears in Russian on the court, do you understand this for sure?

- Finally, I want to ask you to continue a few phrases.

Team Wiki- the best.

Reaching the final of any competition- always a great experience.

Very important to me stay healthy.

I am a good sparring partner because I know what I do ( laughs).

I dream about about retiring one day, living in a nice house and maybe joining a circus troupe ( laughs).

“If anything, about the circus - it was a joke, but you can publish it, I don’t mind,” said Big Sasha, who broke into a wide smile, shaking my hand tightly.

Sasha Bazhin, who is more than just a sparring partner for the world tennis star Victoria Azarenka, told the site about his transition from the team of the first racket of the world Serena Williams to the camp of the famous Belarusian, her playing progress and character. He also spoke about the training of their creative duet in Minsk, dinners from the mother of the athlete, dirty jokes and the belief that Azarenka is able to climb the tennis Olympus again.

After losing to American Serena Williams in the third round of the second tournament of the year in the series " Grand Slam"Roland Garros" ex-first racket of the world Victoria Azarenka flew to Minsk. Soon her sparring partner Sasha Bazhin joined her, under whose leadership the athlete trained on the courts of the National Tennis Academy for about a week.

All this time, Azarenka was preparing for the grass part of the season. Before taking part in yet another prestigious Wimbledon tournament, she will take part in the competition in Birmingham, which will be held from 15 to 21 June. In Minsk, the girl has already worked with balls that will be played in the foreseeable future.

Sasha Bazhin, a German of Serbian origin, helped the Belarusian approach the next test in optimal shape. Together with him, Vika perfected shots from the backhand and forehand from the back line, short shots of two types. She also pumped up shoulder girdle, spent a lot of time at the net, served, while working on accuracy and speed. For example, in one of the exercises, covers for tennis shells were installed at the extreme corners of the square where the serve is addressed, from where it is usually extremely problematic for the opponent to get the ball. Vika was supposed to knock them down with balls. The length of each exercise was about one hundred and fifty beats.

It is curious that the lack of grass courts in Minsk did not become an obstacle for Azarenka-team to hold a quality camp here. According to Sasha Bazhin, who worked in the team of Serena Williams for eight recent years, he never prepared an American for grass on a natural lawn, which, however, did not prevent her from winning Wimbledon seven times.

"We are quite like those courts that imitate grass, Bajin said. - It was on such that we worked with Vika for the last week. I think we will play well in Birmingham, which will allow us to approach Wimbledon fully armed."

For the first time, the fact that Sasha Bazhin (whom experts liked to call the "secret weapon" of Serena Williams) joined Victoria Azarenka became known in March of this year. However, for a long time the history of the creative union of a respected sparring partner in tennis circles and the best Belarusian tennis player was shrouded in mystery.

"Vicki's arsenal turned out to be tricks that I didn't even know existed"

"We have known Victoria for a long time, began a thirty-year-old man. - We often met with her at tournaments, and also exchanged messages on social networks, so this was not the case when she suddenly called me and offered to work together. No, we knew each other well. I was in Florida when she first contacted me and expressed interest in working with me. It happened in January 2015 during the Australian Open. Vika asked why I was not at this tournament with Serena Williams. The fact is that Serena and I decided to stop working together, and Vika just needed a coach. We began to actively communicate with her.

At that time, very little time had passed since our breakup with Williams. I trained with Serena for eight years and left her team when she was number one in the world. All these years I have built my life around her person. By the way, that's why he lived in Florida, that is, not far from her residence.

For me, the transition to another player was a very serious step. But in the end I realized that I was ready for a new path. Of course, I wouldn't want to be with someone I don't like. Such cooperation would not lead to something good, because you would still have to see each other every day. As for Vika, she has always been nice to me: both as a person and as a player."

Contractual obligations to Serena Williams did not allow Sasha Bazhin to join Victoria Azarenka as quickly as the Belarusian would like. After breaking up with her previous mentor Sam Syumik at the end of January, she first went to the Fed Cup, where, and then, whom Kim Clijsters taught a lot, and he helped her win twice Open Championship USA.

Fisset, at the start of negotiations with Azarenka, admitted that he could not be with her all the time, since in January of this year he opened a tennis academy in his homeland. Vika still needed someone else. She continued to communicate with Sasha through personal correspondence even at the moment when she was already playing in Doha with Wim.

"I watched this tournament on the couch,- Sasha recalls the February nights at the TV. - It was around 3 am in Florida when the girls competed in Doha. Later, we exchanged messages with Vika, discussed her imminent meeting with Venus Williams."

— sascha Bajin (@BigSascha)

Prestigious Premier Series Tournament kicked off in American Indian Wells with prize fund$5.3 million. It is unique in that the great Serena Williams, who has not played here for 14 years due to a racist scandal, has decided to return.

In 2001, Serena went to the semi-finals without a fight - her older sister Venus did not enter the court due to illness. The sisters were suspected of collusion. In those days, they still said that Father Richard supposedly determines the winner in their matches. The audience booed Serena, and Richard Williams claimed racist slurs from the audience. As a result, Serena won the final against Kim Clijsters, but in the locker room she was not happy, but sobbed. The Williams family made the decision not to play in Indian Wells again.

But 14 years later, Serena returns, convinced that the world has changed. In particular, she liked how sports world came to her defense after the words of the head of Russian tennis Shamil Tarpishchev. Remember that phrase about the "Williams brothers", said in the program " Evening Urgant"? Serena decided it was time to forgive.

I wonder if she will forgive Sasha Bazhin? Shortly before the tournament, it became known that Serena had parted ways with her seemingly indispensable sparring partner.

A Serb from Germany not only helped her to work out the blows on the court, but was also an administrator for her, a bodyguard, a psychologist, she could take out her anger on him and cry on her shoulder ...

Why they broke up is unknown.

Thank you Serena for the eight unforgettable years we have worked together. It was a great time. Don’t be sad, you know that we won’t have fun with Vika at all, ”Bazhin wrote on Twitter.

And now Sasha is already training with Victoria Azarenka. Let's see if he can become for Victoria what he became for Serena. So, through parting and meeting, two new people appeared next to the Belarusian at the beginning of the season - Sasha Bazhin and coach Wim Fissett.

In Indian Wells, Victoria will start from the second round, where she will meet the winner of the pair Rogers (USA) - Flipkens (Belgium). And in case of victory in the third round will go to Maria Sharapova. Russian woman is now in great shape, takes 2nd place in the ranking after Serena. Their match with Azarenka, who is gradually returning to her former condition, promises to be exciting.

Matt Wilansky, a columnist for the American online publication ESPN, gave a bold and surprising prediction:

They (Sharapova and Azarenka. - Ed.) Have not met for almost two years, but Victoria has recently found her rhythm. Prediction: Azarenka will beat Williams in the tournament final.