MELBOURNE: Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska said her mission at the Australian Open was to show pride in her war-torn home after Wednesday becoming just the second women’s qualifier in the Open Era to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne.
In searing conditions on Rod Laver Arena, the world number 93 broke three times to beat unseeded Czech Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-4 in 78 minutes.
It set up a last-four clash against unseeded Russian Anna Kalinskaya or Chinese 12th seed Zheng Qinwen.
Yastremska is the first women’s qualifier to reach the last four at the season-opening Grand Slam since Australia’s Christine Matison in 1978.
“It’s nice to make history, because at that time I wasn’t even born,” she said.
The 23-year-old wrote a message of support for Ukrainian fighters involved in the war against Russia on a TV camera lens after her win.