Yastremska hits her way to the Australian Open semifinals

The dream run continues!

Qualifier Dayana Yastremska is through to her first-ever Grand Slam semi-final in Melbourne. pic.twitter.com/CSCGVx7p7z

— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) January 24, 2024

Dayana Yastremska has never had a shortage of talent. As a junior, she received a lot of attention, and much was expected of her. She did reach a career ranking high of 21, but her inconsistency kept her from realizing anything more. However, as a qualifier at the 2024 Australian Open, she has finally made good on those expectations. The singing Ukrainian has held her nerve through eight matches, knocking out the likes of (an injured) Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, two-time champion Australian Open Victoria Azarenka, and young Czech star Linda Noskova. 

Yastremska is the last Ukrainian standing in what has been a banner event for Ukrainian players. Marta Kostyuk defeated 25th seed Elise Mertens and break-out player Maria Timofeeva before losing to Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals. Sadly, Ukrainian star Elina Svitolina--who was playing at a very high level--had to retire in the first set of her round of 16 match when her back went out. 

4th seed Coco Gauff dropped a set in her highly entertaining match against Kostyuk, but pevailed, 6-7, 7-6, 6-2. Gauff was certainly not playing her best tennis in this match, but her champion's mind allowed her to stay calm and focused, and to solve the problem in front of her.

12th seed Zheng Qinwen, whose progress in the last couple of years has been steady and impressive, defeated quarterfinalist Anna Kalinskaya 6-7, 6-3, 6-1. And while a resurgent 9th seed Barbora Krejciova had a really good run, taking out young Russian star Mirra Andreeva, she fell in straight sets to defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. 

Here is the women's singles semifinal draw:

Dayana Yastremska (Q) vs. Zheng Qinwen
Coco Gauff (4) vs. Aryna Sabalenka (2)

Yastremska and Zheng have never played each other. Gauff is 4-2 against Sabalenka, and 3-1 against her on hard courts.

In doubles, 3rd seeds Storm Hunter and Katerina Siniakova defeated 5th seeds Barbora Krejcikova and Laura Siegemund in the quarterfinals. Until the end of last year, Krejcikova and Siniakova were partners, and had been partners since they were juniors. Together, they won seven majors (including the 2022 and the 2023 Australian Open), the 2021 WTA Finals, and an Olympic gold medal. They have a career slam, and they were on their way to winning the Grand Slam in 2022, but Krejcikova became ill and they had to withdraw from the French Open (they did win the other three majors that year).

The 2024 Melbourne quarterfinal lasted two hour and 44 minutes, and Krejcikova sustained an injury while playing. It made me sad to see the perfunctory handshake between the Czechs after the match. The pair, in making the announcement about the split (Siniakova's idea) said that they would not play together in 2024. This makes me think that the door is open, and I do hope that they reunite.

Hunter and Siniakova will face 2nd seeds Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens in the semifinals. In he other semifinal, 11th seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Alona Ostapenko (who defeated Caroline Garcia and Kiki Mladenovic in the quarterfinals) will play 4th seeds and 2023 U.S. Open champions Gabriela Dobrowski and Erin Routliffe.

Hsieh is also into the mixed doubles final. She and partner Jan Zielinski, the 3rd seeds, will compete against 2nd seeds Desirae Krawczyk and Neal Shupski. If Krawczyk and Shupski win the championship, Krawczyk will achieve the Grand Slam.

In wheelchair singles competition, top seed and defending champion Diede de Groot had to work a bit in her quarterfinal match against sometime doubles partner, Aniek Van Koot. de Groot dropped the first set, and Van Koot saved four match points, but the top seed prevailed, 3-6, 6-1, 6-0. de Groot's next opponent will be her current doubles partner, 3rd seed Jiske Griffioen.