Australian Open: Qualifier Yastremska ousts Noskova to reach semifinals

Melbourne, Jan 24

Dayana Yastremska's dream run continues as the Ukrainian defeated Czech teenager Linda Noskova on 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 on 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.