AO 2024 Women’s Day 11

Dayana Yastremska broke through for an unprecedented place in the Australian Open finals on Wednesday as the qualifier dispatched Czech Linda Noskova.

The Ukrainian becomes the first from quali rounds to get to the final four here since 1978.

The No. 93 will play for the final against Chinese 12th seed Zheng Qinwen, who reached a career-best Top 10 ranking thanks to her  defeat of Anna Kalinskaya 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-1 in just under two and a half hours.

The win comes 10 years after Li Na won the title here.

Zheng advanced with more than 40 winners into her first major semi-final.

“The first set was a big competition,” Zheng said, “It was a tough match for me

“I told myself to stay focused and told myself to stay focused.

“I’m so happy right now after such a good performance like this.

“No one told me anything about being Top 10, that is great new s and such a motivation.”

Yastremska was also overjoyed by her own breakthrough victory.

“It’s nice to make a history,” the 23-year-old said. “At that time I was not born.

“I’m super happy and tired.”

Yastremska secured her place after 80 minutes on court, converting with an inside out forehand winner to advance over the Czech who knocked world No. 1 Iga Swiatek out of the major in the third round.

Yastermka said that after three weeks-plus in Melbourne, it’s starting to feel like a long-term visit.

“I arrived here on January 3, the days are going really fast,” she said. “But it seems like I’ve been here for six months.”

She critiqued her own winning form, saying she played “not really good.

“I just tried to play like I can and take the maximum from myself.”

She added that her showing has come as something of a surprise.

“I wasn’t really putting the goal to go quarters, fourth round, semis or whatever. I was just trying to enjoy playing here.

“I came here, and I was just focusing on playing each match, on improving.”