Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina said entering the Australian Open semi-finals ‘means the world to me’ after stunning USA’s two-time Grand Slam winner Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-2 here on Tuesday.
The 12th-ranked 31-year-old dispatched her opponent in 59 minutes, and is on a twelve-match winning streak after her triumph at Auckland earlier this month. She will now break into the Top 10 having qualified for the last four.
“It’s always been my dream to come back after maternity leave to make the Top 10. [It has] always been my goal. It means the world to me,” said an emotional Svitolina, who reached just her fourth semi-final in 14 attempts.
A dejected Coco Gauff after her loss to Elina Svitolina on Tuesday
The Ukrainian also hoped that her result can bring a ‘little light’ to her supporters back home as their war with Russia rages on.
“It’s of course very close to my heart to see a lot of support from Ukrainians, and lots of people get to know tennis in Ukraine, which is great. Because right now it’s one of the toughest winters for Ukrainian people without electricity and everything. So I feel like bringing a little light to Ukrainian people when they are watching my matches, it’s a great feeling for me,” she added.
Svitolina will battle World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka for a place in the final, after the Belarusian dispatched Amercian teenager Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0.
Meanwhile, Gauff said that this was a rare off day for her, with nothing working in her favour. “I just felt like all the things I do well, I just wasn’t doing well today. The backhand wasn’t firing. Forehand wasn’t really firing. [Nor the] returns. There was just a lot that didn’t go well today,” said the World No. 3, before adding, “Credit to her [Svitolina] because she forced me to play like that. It’s not like I just woke up and today was a bad day, but bad days are often caused by your opponent.”
12
No. of consecutive matches Elina Svitolina has won this year
04
No. of times Elina Svitolina has reached a Grand Slam semi-final in 14 attempts
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