Australian Open 2023: Magda Linette Stuns Karolina Pliskova to Enter First-Ever Grand Slam Semis

Two days after advancing to her first Grand Slam tournament quarterfinal, unseeded Magda Linette has gone one better and is into the Australian Open 2023 semifinals. The 30-year-old Linette beat Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 7-5 on Wednesday (January 25), adding the former No. 1 to the list of top players she has beaten at Melbourne Park during this tournament.

Linette, who had lost seven of nine previous matches against Pliskova, has defeated Anett Kontaveit, Ekaterina Alexandrova and WTA Finals champion Caroline Garcia in successive rounds. A player from Poland was favored to reach the latter stages of the tournament, but it was top-seeded Iga Swiatek that everyone would have expected — and not Linette.

“It’s so emotional I can’t really believe it,” Linette said. “I tried to stay composed and took my chances when I could.”

Pure joy on her face _@MagdaLinette _ @wwos _ @espn _ @eurosport _ @wowowtennis _ #AusOpen _ #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/SqmrazAjnf — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 25, 2023

Linette will play the winner of the second women’s quarterfinal on Wednesday between No. 5 Aryna Sabalenka and unseeded Donna Vekic. They meet in Thursday night’s semifinals.

The other women’s semifinalists were determined on Tuesday. Two-time former Australian champion Victoria Azarenka will play Wimbledon titleholder Elena Rybakina for a chance to play in Saturday night’s final. Rybakina beat Swiatek in the fourth round.

Later on Wednesday, the remaining men’s semifinalists will be determined. Unseeded Americans Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul play before nine-time champion Novak Djokovic takes on Andrey Rublev.

Djokovic will be looking to qualify for his 44th Grand Slam semifinal and a win in that match on Friday would advance him on Sunday night to his 33rd major singles final. The other men’s semifinal on Friday will see third-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas play Karen Khachanov.

(with PTI inputs)