Dayana Yastremska and Linda Noskova advanced to their first major quarterfinals at the Australian Open — the former stunned two-time Melbourne champion Victoria Azarenka, while the latter played just three games as Elina Svitolina retired with a back injury.
The 18th-seeded Azarenka twice served for the first set and held two set points at 6-5 but Yastremska battled back to level and then stayed composed in the tiebreak to take the opener on her second chance. After starting the second set with a 3-0 deficit, the former world No.21 Yastremska, currently ranked No.93, won six of the next seven games to win the match 7-6(6) 6-4 and move past the final 16 at a major for the first time. The excitement from victory left Yastremska so excited that she felt like her heart was about to jump out of her chest.
The 19-year-old Noskova, who famously upset world No.1 Iga Swiatek in the previous round, won the first three games of her encounter with Svitolina when the Ukrainian was forced to retire due to a back injury. Towards the end of their 20-point first game, the 19th-seeded Svitolina started feeling a shooting pain that completely locked her back and she had to give up the match.
The Yastremska vs. Noskova quarterfinal at the Australian Open will be their first career meeting.
