Unseeded Ukrainian players reach Australian Open quarterfinals

When you’re like, What?!?“

Dayana Yastremska started her Melbourne fortnight in qualies. She’s through to the round of the last eight. pic.twitter.com/RXYL3PNpdj

— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) January 22, 2024

The new, and deadly, version of Elina Svitolina arrived in Melbourne with an opportunity to go very deep within the draw, and she was, perhaps, on her way to realizing that opportunity when her back gave out and she had to retire in the first set of her round o 16 match. This was unfortunate, especially considering the fact that three Ukrainian players made it to the round of 16, and--had Svitolina emerged victorious over opponent Linda Noskova--there would have been three Ukrainians in the quarterfinals.

The other two are Marta Kostyuk and Dayana Yastremska. Yesterday, Yastremska, a qualifier, defeated 18th seed and two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka in straight sets. Azarenka had some problems with her first serve, which definitely helped Yastremska, but it should be noted that the Ukrainian player performed superbly. Now she will face Noskova in the quarterfinals.

I didn't get to see the match played between Jasmine Paolini and Anna Kalinskaya, and I was somewhat surprised to see that it was a straight-set affair, won by Kalinskaya. 

The other two Russians in the round of 16, both young players on the rise, were defeated. Marta Kostyuk allowed break-out player Maria Timofeeva only three games, while 9th seed Barbora Krejcikova defeated Mirra Andreeva in three sets.

Here is the quarterfinal draw:

Linda Noskova vs. Dayana Yastremska (Q)
Anna Kalinskaya vs. Zheng Qinwen (12)
Marta Kostyuk vs. Coco Gauff (4)
Barbora Krejcikova (9) vs Aryna Sabakenka (2)

There have been some interesting goings-on in doubles competition. In the second round, Kiki Mladenovic, playing with former partner Caroline Garcia, defeated former partner Tiimea Babos and Anna Bondar. The unseeded Garcia and Mladenovic will face 11th seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Alona Ostapenko in the quarterfinals, and that should be a match worth watching. 

Also in the quarterfinals, 5th seeds Barbora Krejcikova and Laura Siegemund will face off against 3rd seeds Storm Hunter and Katerina Siniakova. Krejcikova and Siniakova, who had been partners since their junior days, split at the end of the 2023 season. (They announced the split as "for 2024," and I take that seriously; I believe that they will ultimately get back together.)

Top seeds Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff withdrew from the tournament before competition began.