At the start of 2015, former No.1 Victoria Azarenka began her comeback from injuries at the site of some of her career’s greatest successes. Besides rival Serena Williams, Azarenka is the only active woman to have won the Australian Open more than once, both titles coming in back-to-back years (2012, 2013) – defeating former (and future) champions Maria Sharapova and Li Na in each final.

“I love the energy of people here,” she said after winning her second round match in Melbourne. “I think the whole country is like sport nation. They really love sport.

“It’s also the first Grand Slam of the year. What the tournament has been doing to improve is very, very impressive. I think you feel very excited every time you come here to play.”

How far does her love for Australia go?

“I don’t know,” she said, addding, “I guess like I’m going to adopt an Aussie kid or something like that.”

Her return to the Happy Slam was a mixed bag in 2015; beginning the tournament with a bang, she took out a trio of dangerous opposition in Sloane Stephens, then-World No.8 Caroline Wozniacki, and Barbora Strycova before losing a thrilling fourth round encounter with Dominika Cibulkova, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

“I think there are a lot of the positive things to take from here,” she told press after her loss. “It’s a good start. There was some good quality of tennis today, even though the result is not the one that I wanted and not what I was looking for.

“But I need to be realistic a little bit and keep working hard and try to sharpen my game. I need to be more consistent and I need to be able to take my opportunities when I have them.

“Overall, I can be pretty happy. But I’m such a perfectionist that I don’t want to be satisfied.”

That drive for perfection took her through some dramatic matches with Williams at the Mutua Madrid Open – where she held multiple match points – and the next two major tournaments at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Azarenka finally reached a major quarterfinal at the US Open, only to come out on the losing end yet again, this time to World No.2 Simona Halep, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.

“I don’t usually get [the best players] when they are in the bad form,” she said in Flushing. “Usually they play really well against me.”

Still, Azarenka plays quite well herself, and should she remain healthy, she will certainly be one to watch heading into her favorite major tournament.