Among the men, the semi-finals at the bottom of the table were to be decided on Wednesday with the quarterfinals between the two Americans Tommy Paul (35th) and Ben Shelton (89th) then the clash between the Serbian Novak Djokovic (5th) and the Russian Andrey Rublev ( 6th).

Linette, 45th in the world, had already managed to take out one of the favorites, Caroline Garcia (4th) in the round of 16.

Wednesday in the quarters, she dominated the Czech Karolina Pliskova (31st) 6-3, 7-5.

"I'm so moved, I can't believe it, but it continues," said Linette, who had never made it past the third round in a Grand Slam.

Poland's Magda Linette celebrates her victory in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in Melbourne, January 25, 2023 © Martin KEEP / AFP

"I managed to keep my means when she succeeded in the entry break. And I knew how to seize my chance when I had the opportunity to take her service", added the Pole who will celebrate her 30 years old on February 12.

"I have long believed that what defined me was defeat. So I thank my coach and those around me for getting rid of this nonsense," she said.

Unstoppable Sabalenka

Her highest ranking to date was 33rd achieved in February 2020. But on Monday, after her Australian run in which she also took out seeds 16 (Kontaveit) and 19 (Alexandrova), she will enter for the first time in the Top30.

By then, she will have played Thursday against Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka (5th) for a place in the final.

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka celebrates the match point in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in Melbourne, January 25, 2023 © DAVID GRAY / AFP

After three consecutive round of 16, the latter has finally overcome the obstacle and seems unstoppable: she dismissed Croatian Donna Vekic (64th) 6-3, 6-2 in one hour in the quarter.

"It's always difficult to play against her (Vekic, editor's note). But I expected her to play the way she did and so I was ready," commented the 24-year-old who lost. five of his previous six meetings with the Croatian.

"I didn't know that stat and so much the better," joked Sabalenka.

So much so that since the start of the year, she still hasn't lost a single set with a title in Adelaide 1 in January before coming to Melbourne.

Sabalenka has already played three Grand Slam semi-finals (Wimbledon 2021, US Open 2021 and 2022) without ever reaching the final.

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka celebrates her Australian Open quarter-final victory in Melbourne on January 25, 2023 © DAVID GRAY / AFP

The two ladies' semi-finals of this Australian Open will be played on Thursday from 7:30 p.m. (GMT+11).

The other half will pit Kazakh Elena Rybakina (25th), champion of the last Wimbledon, against Belarusian Victoria Azarenka (24th), double champion in Melbourne (2012, 2013).

So that a final between two players from Belarus is possible.

Without flags.

© 2023 AFP