Ukrainian Qualifier Yastremska Makes Historic Run to Australian Open Semifinals
Melbourne, Australia – Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine made history on Wednesday as she became just the second women’s qualifier in the Open Era to reach the semifinals at the Australian Open. Yastremska, ranked 93rd in the world, defeated unseeded Czech Linda Noskova in straight sets to secure her place in the last four of the tournament.
The match, played in scorching conditions on Rod Laver Arena, saw Yastremska break Noskova’s serve three times, ultimately winning 6-3, 6-4 in a brisk 78 minutes. Her victory sets up a semifinal encounter with either unseeded Russian Anna Kalinskaya or Chinese 12th seed Zheng Qinwen.
Yastremska’s achievement is significant, as she becomes the first women’s qualifier to reach the semifinals at the season-opening Grand Slam since Australia’s Christine Matison in 1978. Reflecting on her historic feat, Yastremska expressed her delight, saying, “It’s nice to make history because at that time I wasn’t even born. Next generation and nice to make history. I’m super happy.”
Despite feeling fatigued, Yastremska showcased her fighting spirit throughout the match. She remarked, “I played good, but I didn’t really feel like I’m playing really good. I just play like I can. I’m really a little bit tired, and everything that was left was just fighting.”
Yastremska faced a challenging path to the main draw at Melbourne Park, facing grueling three-set matches in all three of her qualifying matches. However, she elevated her game once the tournament began, delivering impressive performances such as defeating Wimbledon champion and seventh seed Marketa Vondrousova in the first round and eliminating two-time champion Victoria Azarenka in the fourth round.
Yastremska’s opponent, Linda Noskova, ranked 50th in the world, also had her own share of notable victories, including a third-round upset of world number one Iga Swiatek.
In the quarterfinal match, Noskova took an early lead by breaking Yastremska’s serve in the third game. However, Yastremska swiftly responded and managed to level the set at 2-2. Yastremska secured a crucial break in the eighth game, allowing her to serve out the set successfully.
The turning point in the second set came in the seventh game when Yastremska unleashed a powerful backhand winner to break Noskova’s serve. From there, Yastremska smoothly closed out the match to claim victory.
Yastremska, 23 years old with a career-high ranking of 21, faced doping allegations earlier in her career. However, she was cleared of doping in June 2021 following an appeal after a failed test that initially led to a ban.
Since her remarkable achievement of reaching the quarterfinals at a major as a qualifier, Yastremska joins the ranks of eventual US Open champion Emma Raducanu at the 2021 US Open.
In conclusion, Dayana Yastremska’s incredible journey as a qualifier continues as she progresses to the semifinals of the Australian Open. Her historic feat marks a significant moment in the tournament’s history and is a testament to her fighting spirit on the court. Fans eagerly await her upcoming match as she strives to create more milestones in her career.