By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Friday, January 17, 2025
Picture credit score: Cameron Spencer/Getty
This Australian Open is all about comings and goings.
World No. 55 Olga Danilovic delivered endurance and confirmed US Open finalist Jessica Pegula the door in a assured efficiency on Rod Laver Area.
Extra: Sinner and Cahill to Half After 2025
The left-handed Danilovic run off 9 of the final 11 video games toppling the seventh-seeded Pegula 7-6(3), 6-1 to achieve the Australian Open fourth spherical for the primary time.
“I’m tremendous proud of the best way I performed, actually,” Danilovic mentioned. “I imply she’s on the highest of the world. She’s such an ideal participant. I knew I needed to have my A plus plus recreation to beat her.
“Behind my thoughts I actually believed in myself, you already know? I got here onto this court docket to take pleasure in myself. That is my first time on such a giant court docket, in Rod Laver Area, so I imply I do not know what to say. I am so blissful at this second.”
Following Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic onto Rod Laver Area, Danilovic unleashed Serbian celebration that had Djokovic himself applauding her.
A beaming Danilovic waved to screaming Serbian followers and put her hand over her coronary heart finishing her third profession High 10 victory.
It’s Danilovic’s first High 10 triumph since she defeated No. 10 Danielle Collins en path to the Roland Garros spherical of 16 final summer time. Pegula mentioned the left-hander’s exact serving and elevated aggression because the match progressed had been keys to her win.
“I imply, from 3-All within the tiebreaker, she performed some fairly good tennis,” Pegula advised the media in Melbourne. “Simply type of began going for her pictures I really feel like much more.
“Her serve share did not actually drop. Her stage, it simply acquired higher. Possibly had probabilities in that first recreation she served — or second recreation she served within the second, however she hit a winner on each breakpoint alternative I had. So, yeah, credit score to her. She performed very well.”
The 23-year-old Danilovic is the primary Serbian girl to achieve the Australian Open spherical of 16 since 2014 when former world No. 1 gamers Jelena Jankovic (fourth spherical) and Ana Ivanovic (quarterfinals) every did it.
Down 4-5 within the first set, Danilovic amped up her aggression. Deadlocked at 3-all within the tiebreaker, a decided Danilovic ran off 4 factors in a row seizing a one-set lead.
Danilovic dodged 4 break factors in an arduous third recreation holding for a 2-1 second-set lead.
A Pegula drive hit the online and sat up. Hustling ahead, Danilovic dabbed a reply and the American’s lob floated lengthy. Danilovic broke for a one-set, 3-1 lead.
The left-hander, who had been persistently sliding her serve vast on the advert aspect, blended it up and pumped a serve down the T holding at love for 4-1.
Grand Slam king and Serbian compatriot Novak Djokovic was watching this match unfold from inside Rod Laver Area and favored what he noticed as Danilovic broke once more for 5-1.
When the jumbo screens inside Rod Laver Area confirmed Djokovic watching this match, Serbian followers started chanting “Nole! Nole!” in delight seeing his assist.
The 5’11” Danilovic is the daughter of former Serbian basketball star Predrag Danilovic and confirmed aggressive composure at closing time.
Danilovic earned double match level at 40-15 serving for the fourth spherical. Pegula dug all the way down to deny each match factors and draw even at deuce.
Shrugging it off, Danilovic drilled an ace down the T for a 3rd match level.
Whipping one remaining vast serve, Danilovic closed one of many greatest arduous court docket wins of her profession then walked to the middle of the group and waved to the roaring crowd placing her hand over her coronary heart in a present of appreciation for the assist.
“I am so proud,” Danilovic mentioned. “Twelve months in the past I used to be right here and I misplaced within the second spherical of qualies. These moments are so robust. However I’ve an ideal group behind me. I’ve household that is all the time been supporting me. I believed in myself, I labored actually arduous and yeah, I am right here within the second week.”
Subsequent up for Danilovic is hard-hitting Spaniard Paula Badosa.
Danilovic has received two of three conferences vs. Badosa. The winner of that match will advance to the quarterfinals in opposition to both WTA Finals champion Coco Gauff or former Olympic gold-medal champion Belinda Bencic.