Azarenka’s shrieks to be turned into song

Victoria Azarenka of Belarus hits a return to Russia's Elena Vesnina during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia on Monday (January 21 2013). Picture: Aaron Favila/AP

Melbourne – Music fans will soon get to hear the symphonic-like shrieking that Victoria Azarenka brings to her tennis.

The top-ranked player and reigning Australian Open champion is known as one of the more vocal players on the women’s tour, accompanying almost every whack of the ball with a high-pitched “Ooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuwww.”

In a silent stadium, the sound can linger in the air.

Azarenka’s friend, the American rapper Redfoo, who has produced multiple hit singles, has recognised some musical potential in the shriek. He recorded it and has mixed the sound into a new song due to be released soon, she said yesterday.

“It’s my grunt. It’s not my vocals,” Azarenka said, clarifying that she was not recorded singing. “I don’t take high-key or low-key there. It’s just natural.”

Centre court at Melbourne Park got a 57-minute Azarenka concert yesterday as she beat Elena Vesnina 6-1, 6-1 in the fourth round and continued her confident run toward the defense of her title. Going into the quarterfinals, Azarenka has dropped only one set.

Known for his wild hair and even wilder music, Redfoo has been seen cheering from Azarenka’s players’ box and signing autographs during most of her matches.

Azarenka was quoted as telling Australian media that Redfoo, the LMFAO frontman whose real name is Stefan Kendal Gordy (he’s the son of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy), had to fly off to a gig in Malaysia but plans to come back later in the week.

As an insider to the music world, Azarenka gets to listen to tunes the public hasn’t heard yet – like a remix by Redfoo’s friend GoonRock that she called Sweet Baby and says is “really good.”

Sweet Baby was piping into Azarenka’s earbuds as she walked onto centre court yesterday, as she often does soaking in some last-minute musical inspiration before turning to tennis.

“If it’s bad music, it’s going to be a bad match,” she said. “So I really choose it very carefully.”

Music is a “very important” part of her pre-match preparation, Azarenka told a post-match news conference.

It helps “focus, pump you up, get your feet a little bit moving, kind of get excited,” she said. “I kind of get in the zone.

“It just makes me feel good inside. When I feel good inside, I love to go out there and do the best job as I can.”

Sapa-AP