(Melbourne) Dayana Yastremska and Linda Noskova both reached their first quarter-final of a major tournament, Monday in Melbourne, at the Australian Open.
Yastremska beat two-time tournament champion Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (6), 6-4, while Svitolina, 18e world racket, was losing 3-0 to Linda Noskova when she withdrew due to a back injury.
Azarenka served for the first set twice and had two set points at 6-5, but failed to take advantage.
Yastremska did not miss her chance and took the lead on her second opportunity, after 74 minutes.
Azarenka led 3-0 in the second set, but Yastremska then won six of the next seven games to prevail and finish the match with 37 winners.
“During the match, I imagined 25 ways how I lost,” Yastremska said in an on-court interview after the match. I always felt like I was running behind the train. But since I’m a fighter, I think that allowed me to win this match, plus the support, it was incredible. »
The first game of the match between Noskova and Svitolina lasted 11 minutes and saw the players compete for 20 points. Noskova broke Svitolina’s serve to lead 2-0, before seeing the latter request a medical time-out to undergo back treatment.
PHOTO MARTIN KEEP, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Linda Noskova
After a second break, Svitolina shook her opponent’s hand and withdrew.
“Obviously, it wasn’t how I envisioned winning,” Noskova said. I hope she gets better very soon. »