Crediting her preseason preparation with new coach Sascha Bajin, Dayana Yastremska advanced to her first-ever Premier-level semifinal with a commanding 6-4 6-3 victory over Donna Vekic at the Adelaide International, her second straight elimination of a Top 20 player. The 19-year-old Ukrainian didn’t face a break point after dropping serve at 2-0 in the first set of the 68-minute match and is now 3-0 head-to-head against Vekic, having never lost a set to the Croat.
The world No.24 Yastremska’s next opponent will be sixth seed Aryna Sabalenka, who she is 2-0 against. The 12th-ranked Sabalenka reached the semifinals with a 6-4 6-2 upset of second-seeded Simona Halep. The Belarusian won seven straight games from 4-4 in the first set and almost handed the former world No.1 a donut by building a 5-0 lead in the second set.
American world No.27 Danielle Collins keeps posting dominant victories this week, her latest one being a 6-3 6-1 upset of fourth seed Belinda Bencic in the quarterfinals. Next up for the in-form 26-year-old will be top-ranked Ashleigh Barty, who stopped the impressive comeback of Marketa Vondrousova 6-3 6-3, playing better in important points, most notably, holding at 4-3 from 0-40 down in the second set.
Despite the loss, Vondrousova can leave Adelaide more than satisfied, as she earned two spectacular victories in previous two matches (she won three sets with a bagel!) while playing her first tournament since Wimbledon and a wrist surgery.
Enjoy Jimmie48‘s photo gallery from Thursday’s quarterfinal matches!
MORE ADELAIDE INTERNATIONAL 2020 PHOTOS:
- Wednesday: Kerber retires injured, quarterfinal field completes
- Tuesday: Sabalenka, Sakkari, Vondrousova win the first round, Halep moves into quarterfinals
- Monday: Bencic, Vekic, Kerber victorious in the first round
