Melbourne: Dayana Yastremska’s dream run continues as the Ukrainian defeated Czech teenager Linda Noskova Wednesday to become the first qualifier in 45 years to reach the Australian Open semifinals.
The 23-year-old Ukrainian scored her eighth win in Melbourne in the last three weeks by beating 19-year-old Noskova 6-3, 6-4 in an all-unseeded quarterfinal in Rod Laver Arena Wednesday to reach the penultimate round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time.
The world No.93 was impressive from the off, maintaining a steely focus and aggression throughout a victory to become just the second qualifier after Christine Dorey at Australian Open 1978 to progress to the last four at Melbourne Park.
The one-hour, 18-minute triumph marked Yastremska’s eighth straight triumph at Melbourne Park and made her just the third Ukrainian after Elina Svitolina and Andrei Medvedev to reach a major semifinal.
She will face either 12th seed Zheng Qinwen or unseeded Anna Kalinskaya for a place in her first Grand Slam final.