The clay season is in full swing, and already there has been plenty to talk about with Serena Williams losing her Charleston opener, wrist woes for Novak Djokovic, and some shocking losses by Rafael Nadal in Monte Carlo and Barcelona.  With so many headlines, it is not surprising that some might get lost in the shuffle.  One news item that has been somewhat buried concerned Victoria Azarenka, who does not look to be returning to the game any time soon.

To say that 2014 has been a rough year for Azarenka would be an understatement.  The Belarusian has competed in only three tournaments thus far. In fact, given the pain she showed in her opening-round loss to Lauren Davis at Indian Wells, Azarenka probably should not have played anything after the Australian Open.  Unfortunately, the left foot injury that hampered her play in the desert and that has plagued her throughout this season continues to be a problem.  Azarenka has been forced to withdraw from Madrid and Rome, which leaves her participation at this year’s French Open very much in doubt.

As disappointing as these latest setbacks are for Azarenka, they also represent an underappreciated loss for the game.  On the surface, Azarenka’s absence probably does not feel like a huge loss.  She never has garnered the same kind of marquee attention as rivals Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.  Nor does she typically inspire the same level of fan devotion that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal often do.  But, as a former No. 1 and two-time major Champion, Azarenka’s forced hiatus hurts the WTA.

Azarenka’s current place in the sport can be gauged just by looking at her record against the rest of the WTA’s current top 10.  Among that talented group, she possesses a winning head-to-head record against all but Petra Kvitova and Serena Williams.  Furthermore, a number of her matches against those rivals have been extremely close and have involved a number of tight three-set tussles.  Those are the kinds of matches and statistics from which the WTA, with its lack of compelling rivalries, can benefit.

Along similar lines, Azarenka’s presence should also be missed for what she brings to the table against Serena Williams.  With Williams leading their head-to-head 14-3, it may appear that she has little to offer by way of resistance.  In recent years, however, Azarenka has done well to start closing the gap between the two.  Two of the four matches that Williams in her stellar 2013 campaign came against Azarenka.  Someone challenging the WTA’s most dominant player would make for the kind of intriguing storyline that the women’s tour could use, and prior to her injury the Belarussian was clearly the most qualified candidate for the job.

A big part of why Azarenka has been able to challenge Serena and enjoy success against virtually anyone else in the field is that she owns a very well-rounded game.  She possesses enough firepower and consistency to hang with the biggest hitters from the baseline.  But she also is capable in the forecourt, and she has enough touch and finesse to find ways to win points in a plethora of ways. She is perfectly willing to grind when necessary, aided by a gritty determination.  Those attributes have helped her edge so many of her competitors in tight matches and achieve great heights, and it is those same attributes that help to make exciting tennis for the fans.

Azarenka’s absence from the game does not carry the same weight as Serena Williams’ hiatus a few years ago or Nadal’s absence in the second half of 2012.  But there is little doubt that the game is richer with Azarenka in it.  She brings out the best tennis in others and heats up the competition.  She generates plenty of exciting storylines, so the WTA will hope that she returns sooner rather than later.