Australian Open: Jelena Ostapenko sinks Coco Gauff to book quarter-final meeting with Elena Rybakina

Updated 22/01/2023 at 06:23 GMT

Jelena Ostapenko is through to the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time since 2018 after an emphatic straight-sets victory over Coco Gauff. It will be her first quarter-final appearance at the Australian Open after powering her way past Gauff, who appeared to struggle with her forehand and first serve at crucial moments in the match.

Highlights: Ostapenko powers past Gauff to reach quarter-finals

Jelena Ostapenko is through to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open after a 7-5 6-3 win over Coco Gauff.

The 2017 French Open champion was at her very best to knock out world No. 7 Gauff in straight sets, winning the baseline battle throughout and bringing to an end the American's unbeaten start to 2023.

Ostapenko will play reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in an unlikely quarter-final meeting after she beat world No.1 Iga Swiatek 6-4 6-4.

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"She's such a great player," Ostapenko said of Gauff after the match.

"Super young and she's playing really well and fighting until the very last point, but I really had nothing to lose. I just went there and tried to show my best and try to fight for every point and make it hard for her. I'm really happy with the win.

"I had to stay positive all the time and I knew I had to play aggressive to beat her. I was trying to step into the court.

"Even if I missed some balls I knew if I did everything right I would put some balls in the court. In the end I kept her under so much pressure and it brought me a win."

On playing Rybakina next, she said: "I think she serves well. It's most important to play my game again, [play] aggressive and keep her under pressure. We'll see what happens, I'll just try to enjoy it as much as possible."

'I kept her under pressure' - Ostapenko's on-court interview after reaching quarter-finals

In Ostapenko's first meeting with Gauff since 2019, a vicious cross-court winner from the American's backhand handed the 18-year-old the first break of the match to take a 2-1 lead. But Ostapenko applied her aggressive brand of tennis and broke back in the very next game.

Ostapenko had to save four break points in a tight seventh game to hold for 4-3 and it was the Latvian’s aggression which paid off. The No. 17 seed was able to seal the first set in 49 minutes, breaking the Gauff serve to take set point with a blistering backhand volley at the net.

Ostapenko had been in all of Gauff’s service games in the second set and she finally got the breakthrough she was looking for in the eighth game. She moved into a 5-3 lead with her first break point of the set when Gauff fired a forehand long.

There was no way back for Gauff at that point as Ostapenko confidently served it out to produce one of her finest wins in recent years.