Even being best isn't enough for Azarenka

World No 1 Victoria Azarenka moved within two wins of her second Grand Slam title of the season on Tuesday, but admitted she might never be satisfied with her career.

The 23-year-old, who captured the Australian Open this year, is the first Belarusian to make the last four in New York, achieving the feat with a 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (5) win over defending champion Samantha Stosur.

Victory also allowed her to maintain her world number one spot.

But happiness appears to be a long way off for the statuesque, Monte Carlo-based girl from Minsk.

"I feel like I will never be satisfied, you know, sometimes, that even though I'm at the peak of my career right now, I feel like I want to do better," Azarenka said.

"The ambitions are really high, but I don't like to jump ahead too much. That's what I felt kind of was holding me back before is to have that image that I want it so bad that I'm going to go for it.

"Now I just try to execute being a good player, improve myself as a player, my physical aspect, and the result is second for me right now."

It wasn't always so.

Azarenka was long-touted as a star of the future when she started on the tour in 2006.

But it took her 14 Grand Slam events before she made her first quarterfinal at the French Open in 2009 and it wasn't until Wimbledon in 2011 that she reached her first semifinal at a major.

Her world ranking mirrored her bumpy journey on the WTA Tour - a season-ending seven in 2009 slipped to 10 in 2010 before a top-three place at the end of 2011.

She hit the top spot following her Australian Open win in January, lost it briefly to Maria Sharapova after Wimbledon, then regained it ahead of the Olympics.

But she would gladly exchange her status as world No 1 for another Grand Slam trophy.

"It means a lot, but it's nothing like lifting a trophy, honestly," said Azarenka.

"I cannot compare that feeling to winning a tournament. It's just a number."

Azarenka will face either 2006 champion Maria Sharapova or unorthodox Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli for a place in Saturday's final.

She would love to be holding the trophy in front of 23,000 people packed into Arthur Ashe Stadium for Saturday's final.

"I love New York. I feel like it's a great place, just a beautiful city. It's one of my favorite places in the world," Azarenka said.

"The energy when you walk on the court, you feel the crowd, you feel the boost. I'm a very energetic person. So for me, it's perfect. But it's not to everybody's taste, right?"

Sharapova's match against Bartoli was suspended by rain as more than six hours of rain delayed several matches on Tuesday. The French 11th seed Bartoli was leading Russian third seed Sharapova 4-0.

It marked the seventh year in a row that rain has caused major disruptions at the season's final Grand Slam event.

(China Daily 09/06/2012 page24)