In a stunning display of skill and determination, qualifier Dayana Yastremska advanced to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Monday by upsetting twice former champion and 18th seed Victoria Azarenka with a score of 7-6(6), 6-4.
The Ukrainian, currently ranked 93 in the world, extended her fairy-tale journey in Melbourne after previously shocking Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the first round. Yastremska’s aggressive play, marked by 38 winners, secured her victory and propelled her into a quarter-final draw that lacks any top 10 seeds.
Reflecting on the biggest win of her career, the 23-year-old Yastremska expressed her exhilaration, stating, “I feel like my heart is going to jump out of my body. I was losing the tiebreak, I was losing the second set, I always felt like I was running behind the train. But I think I’m a little bit of a fighter, so that’s why I won this match.”
The match, characterized by a punishing baseline battle with minimal net play, saw Yastremska initially break Azarenka’s serve in the opening set. However, Azarenka responded by winning the next four games to take the lead. Despite Azarenka serving for the set, Yastremska persisted, converting her fourth break point to force a tiebreak, which she eventually won with a decisive forehand.
Both players took extended bathroom breaks after the first set, and Azarenka returned with a strong start, quickly securing a 3-0 lead. Yet, Yastremska halted Azarenka’s progress and launched a comeback, winning five consecutive games. Serving for the match, she held her nerve and closed out the victory, earning her place in the quarter-finals where she will face Czech world number 50 Linda Noskova in her first Grand Slam quarter-final.
