The two world sets met already in the first round in Rome and it was the strong Belarusian who went on after two straight sets.
Azarenka recently played in the final of the US Open and has started his tennis career in earnest after many years at lower levels.
It was in 2012 that she was ranked number one in the world for a period.
The change from hardcourt to gravel went well for Azarenka.
- It feels like I got a good adjustment, she says after the match.
Venus played really well, and it was fun that she also switched to gravel so well.
Victoria Azarenka reached the final in Rome in 2013 and now she got revenge on Williams after the loss in Lexington, USA, a month ago.
In the next round, she meets third-seeded American Sofia Kenin.
- It will be an interesting match because we have played doubles together in several tournaments.
We know each other well.
CLIP: Victoria Azarenka is in the final again after seven difficult years (September 11, 2019)
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Victoria Azarenka is in the final again after seven difficult years Photo: Bildbyrån / Instagram