'A dream come true' - Magda Linette into first Australian Open semi-final after overcoming Karolina Pliskova

Updated 25/01/2023 at 04:45 GMT

Former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova fractured her right wrist at the start of 2022 and it appeared to cause her problems again in her Australian Open semi-final defeat to world No. 45 Magda Linette. Pliskova's first serve and forehand was not firing and Linette was clinical enough to ensure she would reach the last four of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career.

Highlights: Linette into maiden AO semis after overcoming Pliskova

Magda Linette is through to the semi-finals of the Australian Open for the first time in her career after a 6-3 7-5 win over Karolina Pliskova.

Pliskova made seven double faults and 36 unforced errors in a match where her right wrist was hampering her, and Linette was able to make the most of her errors by winning the match in straight sets.

Linette, who had never been beyond the third round of a major until this year's Australian Open, will play No. 5 seed Aryna Sabalenka in the last four after the Belarusian beat world No. 68 Donna Vekic 6-3 6-2.

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"It's so emotional I can't really believe it," Linette said after the match.

"It's really a dream come true. We keep going though.

"I don't want to get too excited because I'm still in the tournament but I'm super grateful and happy.

"All my life I've been taking mistakes and losses very personally so disconnecting those two things, Magda the tennis player and Magda the person, was really difficult because I felt a lot of times the mistakes are defining me so my coaches and me did a really great job.

"I'm really thankful to them because they've had to put up with a lot of crap!"

'It's so emotional' - Linette reacts to reaching her first Australian Open semi-final

Pliskova broke in the very first game, breaking with a fine passing shot as Linette came to the net. But Linette broke back immediately after a couple of unforced errors from Pliskova.

Pliskova’s first serve was letting her down and Linette went a break up to move into a 4-2 lead after winning eight points in a row.

Linette was showing no signs of nerves in her maiden Grand Slam quarter-final against her opponent playing in her 11th. The Pole saved a break point at 5-3 up before sealing the first set in 35 minutes.

At 2-2, Pliskova saved three break points and then had to repeat the same fightback to move into a 4-3 lead as Linette piled on immense pressure from the baseline.

At 5-5 Pliskova double faulted to hand Linette two break points before an unforced error from the Czech moved her to within a game of the match and made no mistake serving it out.