Yastremska Makes History at Australian Open as Medvedev Survives Marathon Match

Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska has written her name in the history books at the Australian Open, becoming the first female qualifier to reach the semi-finals in 46 years. Yastremska’s remarkable run continued as she defeated Linda Noskova in straight sets, overwhelming her opponent with her powerful game.

In another thrilling match, Daniil Medvedev marked his 100th Grand Slam match with a grueling five-set victory over Hubert Hurkacz. Medvedev, known for his mental and physical toughness, battled through fatigue to secure his spot in the semi-finals, where he will face either Carlos Alcaraz or Alexander Zverev.

The Australian Open’s decision to allow fans into the venue after even games came under criticism from tennis legend Jim Courier. He questioned the choice of letting fans enter from behind the court, citing it as a more distracting option. Nevertheless, the quarter-final match between Medvedev and Hurkacz proceeded after a slight delay.

Not only were there on-court battles, but also off-court challenges faced by players. Australian star Matt Ebden’s men’s doubles quarter-final had to be moved to another venue due to bubbling on the court, forcing a suspension of play. Despite the disruption, Ebden and his partner Rohan Bopanna secured a victory and advanced to the semi-finals.

Furthermore, an incident involving Ukrainian junior tennis star Yelyzaveta Kotliar sparked controversy. Kotliar was criticized by her own country for shaking hands with her Russian opponent, violating the unwritten rule of not interacting with players from Russia and Belarus due to ongoing conflicts. The Ukrainian Tennis Federation called it an “unpleasant incident” and acknowledged it as a mistake on Kotliar’s part.

Finally, the tournament’s schedule changes gave an unexpected advantage to one player. The women’s quarter-finals were divided into day and night sessions, with the winner of the Noskova-Yastremska match benefiting from additional recovery time before their semi-final against the winner of the Kalinskaya-Zheng match.