Iga Swiatek entered her first Australian Open semifinal on Wednesday after she rallied to defeat Kaia Kanepi.
Trailing by a set and a break against the Estonian, Swiatek dug deep--and deeper still--to win the second-longest women's singles match of the fortnight so far, 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-3.
The 3 hour, 1-minute victory is the longest match of Swiatek's young career at a Grand Slam to date, bettering a 2 hour, 42-minute 6-7(4), 7-5, 7-5 defeat to another Estonian, Anett Kontaveit, in the third round in Australia two years ago.
Swiatek is now 5-0 in three-set matches at Grand Slams in which she lost the first set. She'll now face the number 27-seed Danielle Collins for the chance to get in the summit clash.
Earlier, three years after making her first Grand Slam semifinal, Danielle Collins has returned to the final four at the AO. The player from the United States defeated Alize Cornet of France 7-5, 6-1 in a 1-hour and 28-minute quarterfinal affair on Rod Laver Arena.
The loss ends a career-best Grand Slam run for World No.61 Cornet. The former World No.11 defeated Simona Halep in the round of 16 on Monday to at last make her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, in her 63rd career Grand Slam main draw.
( With inputs from ANI )
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