Tennis: Aussie Olivia Gadecki makes first WTA semi-final
Australia’s Olivia Gadecki has continued her brilliant run in Guadalajara this week, with the world No.82 defeating former Grand Slam semi-finalist Martina Trevisan on Friday to make her first-ever WTA Tour-level semi-final.
The world No.152 Gadecki had only beaten two top 100 players before in her career but has now overcome three in a row at the Guadalajara Open.
After moving her way through qualifying, Gadecki knocked out former world No.3 Sloane Stephens in the opening round, 6-4, 6-3.
She then overcame world No.11 Danielle Collins, again in comprehensive fashion, prevailing 6-3, 6-3.
Now, having beaten Trevisan 6-2, 6-3, 1-6, Gadecki will face Camila Osorio for a spot in the final.
“There’s a lot of things that I’m proud of this week,” Gadecki declared on court after her victory on Friday.
“Just coming out here, competing, giving myself the chance to do well this week.
“Yeah, I’m all round just really proud of myself.”
Ahead of defeating Trevisan, Gadecki had never even made it to the quarter-final level in a WTA 250 or higher event.
She did make a deep run the preceding week in Guadalajara though, reaching the quarter-finals of a WTA 125.
Gadecki has now won seven of her last eight matches across all levels.
Tennis bookmakers have put the 22-year-old as an underdog in each of her main draw matches this week, and she is likely to be so against Osorio in the semi-finals.
The Australian has shown herself to be a maestro at breaking serve in Guadalajara, converting eight of 10 break points against Trevisan in their one-hour, 48-minute quarterfinal clash.
Should Gadecki prevail in her semi-final, she will break into the world’s top 100 for the first time and surpass Daria Saville as the No.1 ranked Australian woman in tennis.
