Our compatriot Elise Mertens (WTA 36), the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina (WTA 4) in a cast-iron quarter-final knock at the Australian Open, and punch through to the semi-finals.
Elise Mertens was for the first time in the quarterfinals of a grand slam tournament, and made a memorable party.
The first point had to Mertens was still at the 23-year-old Ukrainian, but that made them quickly well. They could lead to 3-1. After that, it was exciting, but Mertens was the set finishing 6-4.
In the second set, was Mertens with enormous advantage to the strongest: she had no stitches and brought the score to a magnificent 6-0.
The 22-year-old knocked off the number 4 of the world and one of the topfavorietes for the gold in less than 1 hour and 15 minutes. She put her improbable feat: they punch through to the semi-finals of the Australian Open, her first in a grand slam tournament.
A trooper
For the semi-final was already a trooper about her confrontation with Svitolina: “I have once before against her played in the finals of the tournament in Istanbul (on the gravel) and when she has me defeated. But this is a completely other game, on hard court, in a quarterfinals of a Grand Slam. Svitolina defends well and is physically strong, but I’m also ready for it. At this moment everything is bonus, but still… I still don’t feel that my tournament is over.’
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