Coco Gauff’s Australian Open ended Sunday after the 18-year-old American prodigy was overwhelmed in straight units by former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko within the fourth spherical.
Ostapenko edged a decent battle 7-5, 6-3 in an 1hr 33min on Margaret Court docket Enviornment to achieve the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park for the primary time.
The Latvian will now face Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, who blew the ladies’s draw broad open by knocking out world primary Iga Swiatek a couple of minutes earlier on Rod Laver Enviornment.
“I knew she’s such a terrific participant, tremendous younger and she or he’s enjoying rather well however I actually had nothing to lose,” mentioned Ostapenko, who gained at Roland Garros in 2017 and earned her fifth WTA Tour tile in Dubai final 12 months.
“I simply went there and tried to indicate my finest and attempt to battle for each level and to make it laborious for her and I am actually proud of the best way I performed.”
Ostapenko, whose final Grand Slam quarter-final got here at Wimbledon in 2018, has endured some powerful injury-hit years since and had by no means earlier than overwhelmed a participant ranked contained in the top-10 on the Australian Open.
“I used to be attempting to remain constructive on a regular basis,” mentioned Ostapenko. “And I knew I’ve to play aggressive, even when I miss some balls.
Gauff had not dropped a set on the best way to the final 16 and the match was a decent affair, with little to decide on between the pair.
But it surely was the 25-year-old Ostapenko who performed the essential factors higher, pouncing on the finish of every set.
She broke Gauff at 6-5 to take the primary, then once more at 4-3 within the second.
“On the finish, I feel I saved her below a lot strain and it introduced me a win,” mentioned Ostapenko.