Swiatek marches into her first Australian Open semi-final, will face America's Collins

Iga Swiatek is into her first Australian Open semi-final after coming from a set down to beat Kaia Kanepi 4-6 7-6(2) 6-3 in three hours and one minute on Rod Laver Arena. The 20-year-old will face no.27 seed Danielle Collins, who beat Alize Cornet in straight sets in the semi-finals.

"I'm really glad that I still have my voice because I was shouting so loud," Swiatek said on court after the match.

"This match was crazy,'' said the 20-year-old 2020 French Open winner. "First set I think my mistake was I had so many break points, I felt like I missed my chances. In the second set, I felt like she's playing so fast that I can't be tight. I had to finish my forehands.'' 

Swiatek, the 2020 champion at Roland Garros, rallied from a set and a break down in brutal heat to overpower Kanepi, despite committing 12 double faults.

“I wasn’t even thinking a lot, I was just running,” Swiatek said. “I was actually thinking: ‘Where is like the biggest probability where she can hit the smash?’ It’s luck that you’re going to go the right way. There is that probability, but you never know what your opponent is going to do,” she added.

115-ranked Kanepi made her Grand Slam debut in 2006 but was playing in the quarterfinals in Australia for the first time. Estonian Kanepi has a long-standing reputation for upsetting big names at Grand Slams, with her fourth-round victory over second seed Aryna Sabalenka her ninth against a top 10 player at the majors.

American Danielle Collins who will now face Swiatek in the top-four clash, won the opening match on Rod Laver Arena, swinging it in her favor with a key service break in the final game of the opening set on her way to a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Alize Cornet. 

The American's win held extra significance for her as it came after a tumultuous year. She had to undergo emergency surgery for endometriosis, a health condition in which the tissue that normally lines the uterus starts to grow in other areas.

“I think any time you're going to have a surgery like I had, any athlete would find it less than ideal and nerve-racking knowing how your body is going to recover after that type of surgery," she said.

"It's extremely painful and scary," she continued. "Because there is a lot of important things in life that you learn about during those surgeries." She further added.