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The Polish star continued is just two wins away from securing an unlikely grand slam title after she ended the run of former World No 1 Karolina Pliskova.
Poland star Magbad Linette’s fairytale run in the Australian Open continued on Wednesday morning after she defeated former World No 1 Karolina Pliskova in straight sets 6-3 7-5.
Linette keeps Poland's flag alive
Coming into the tournament, Linette’s name was not in the conversation of Polish stars who could go on to win the title, with Hubert Hurkacz and Iga Swiatek in the draw.
However, surprisingly Hurkacz and Swiatek were knocked out before the quarter-finals, with Linette easing her way through.
The World No 45 has gone a step further as she is now just two wins away from joining Swiatek as Poland’s grand slam winners after straight sets win over Pliskova.
Going into the match, Pliskova was the slight favourite after playing some brilliant tennis that made her the number one women’s tennis player in the world. But she hit a stumbling block in her clash against Linette as the Pole took the first set 6-3.
Pliskova's serves had been unbreakable so far in this tournament, but Linette played some great returns to break the Czech not once but twice. It was not smooth sailing for Linette, though, as she also had to fend off a break point when serving for the first set at 5-3.
The 30-year-old Pole managed to do that, taking the first set. The second set was much more competitive, although Pliskova had to come up clutch in the fifth game to go 3-2 ahead.
However, the 30-year-old’s resistance was finally broken in the 11th game before Linette served out the second set and the match for a 6-3 7-5 victory.
With the victory, she became the third Polish woman in seven years after Swiatez and Agnieszka Radwanska, who was in the stands, to reach the semi-final of the Australian Open.
Linette to face Sabalenka
Linette’s win sets up a semi-final clash against Sabalenka, who ended the run of Donna Vekic. Sabalenka, who has been playing like a woman on a mission, needed one hour and 49 minutes to see off the Croat.
Sabalenka had edged out Vekic’s best friend on tour, Belinda Bencic, in the fourth round, and she did the same on Wednesday morning.
The Belarusian broke for a 3-1 lead in the opening set, although she was helped by a barrage of double faults from Vekic. Sabalenka then broke again to take a 5-3 lead before serving out the first set.
The second set followed a similar pattern, with Sabalenka rushing to a 3-0 lead before going on to win the match 6-3 6-2.
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