Qualifier Yastremska keeps soaring

– Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska said her mission at the Australian Open was to show pride in her war-torn home after yesterday becoming just the second women’s qualifier in the Open Era to reach the semifinals in Melbourne.

In searing conditions on Rod Laver Arena, the world No 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 Chinese 12th seed Zheng Qinwen. Zheng beat Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya 6-7(4/7), 6-3, 6-1.

Yastremska is the first women’s qualifier to reach the lastfour 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.

“I’m very proud of them,” she said. “They really deserve huge respect. I always try to write something for Ukraine, about Ukraine.

“I think it’s my mission here. If I do well, I can get – tough to express. I’m just trying to give the signal to Ukraine that I’m really proud of it.”

Yastremska faced a tough battle to reach the main draw at Melbourne Park, being taken the distance in all three of her qualifying matches.

But she moved up a gear when the season-opening Grand Slam started, hammering Wimbledon champion and seventh seed Marketa Vondrousova in the first round and eliminating two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka in the fourth round.

The key moment came in the seventh game of the second set when Yastremska thundered a backhand winner past Noskova to break and wrapped up victory with minimum fuss.

Yastremska said she had not thought about how far she could go in Melbourne. – AFP