Resurgent Ostapenko powers past Coco Gauff to set quarter-final with Rybakina

The upset theme has been clearly established on Day 7 of the Australian Open. Moments after top-seeded Iga Swiatek was sent packing by Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, Latvian Jelena Ostapenko rocked past seventh-seeded Coco Gauff, 7-5, 6-3, to reach her first Australian Open quarter-final.

Ostapenko, ranked No 17, will face Kazakh Elena Rybakina, the No 22 seed, next.

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Ostapenko was large and in charge from the baseline, pinning Gauff back with consistent pace and depth. The No 17 seed hit 30 winners against 27 unforced errors and converted all three break points she saw, while saving seven of eight.

Ostapenko : “I put her under so much pressure”

“I really had nothing to lose, so I just went there and tried to show my best and try to fight for every point and to make it hard for her and I’m really happy with the win,” Ostapenko told the crowd after reaching her fourth career Grand Slam quarter-final and her first since Wimbledon 2018.

“I was just trying to stay positive all the time and I knew I have to play aggressive to beat her. I was trying to step in the court; even if I missed some balls I knew if I do everything right then I’m gonna put the same balls in the court and at the end, I think I put her under so much pressure and it brought brought me a win.”

Earlier in the tournament, the Latvian beat Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska (6-4, 6-2), Hungarian Anna Bondar (7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-0) and Ukrainian Kateryna Baindl (6-3, 6-0).

Gauff, ranked No 7, won against Czech Katerina Siniakova (6-1, 6-4), Emma Raducanu (6-3, 7-6 (4)) and Bernarda Pera (6-3, 6-2) in the previous rounds.

Melbourne (Grand Slam), other last 16 results (Melbourne Park, hard, USD 24.297.942, most recent results first):

• Donna Vekic vs. Linda Fruhvirtova : Monday in Melbourne
• Aryna Sabalenka vs. Belinda Bencic : Monday in Melbourne
• Magda Linette vs. Caroline Garcia : Monday in Melbourne
• Karolina Pliskova vs. Shuai Zhang : Sunday in Melbourne
• Victoria Azarenka vs. Lin Zhu : Sunday in Melbourne
• Jessica Pegula vs. Barbora Krejcikova : Sunday in Melbourne
• Elena Rybakina beat Iga Swiatek (1): 6-4, 6-4

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