Magda Linette shares warm embrace with Polish icon Agnieszka Radwanska after scripting Australian Open 2023 history
Magda Linette and former World No. 2 Agnieszka Radwanska shared a warm hug after Linette's win over Karolina Pliskova. Radwanska has been constantly supporting her fellow Polish teammates from the player's box at the 2023 Australian Open.
Magda Linette joins World No.1 Iga Swiatek, who was upset in the fourth round, and Agnieszka Radwanska as the third Polish woman to reach the Australian Open semifinals.
Agnieszka Radwanska showed off her magnanimity by meeting Linette in the tunnel for a warm embrace, and the duo exchanged a few words before departing.
"This hug between Magda and Aga is everything" The Tennis Podcast tweeted
This hug between Magda and Aga is everything ❤️❤️
#AusOpen https://t.co/N7LrsIP9z9
Magda Linette continued her dream run into the semi-finals of the Australian Open on Wednesday with a stunning 6-3 7-5 victory over former World No. 1 Karolina Pliskova. The 30-year-old has never gone beyond the third round of any major prior to this magical Melbourne run. Linette continues to fly the flag for Poland after the shock exit of World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who lost to reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.
Magda Linette to face Aryna Salbenka for a spot in final of Australian Open 2023
The 45th-ranked Linette will play world No. 5 Aryna Sabalenka for a spot in Saturday's Australian Open final. In the other semi-final, Elena Rybakina faces two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka.
A player from Poland was favored to reach the latter stages of the tournament, but it was top-seeded Iga Swiatek that everyone would have expected, not Linette. The World No. 45 continued her stupendous form in the match against Pliskova, who she had lost seven of nine previous matches against. Linette defeated Anett Kontaveit, Ekaterina Alexandrova and WTA Finals champion Caroline Garcia in the rounds leading up to the semifinals.
Aryna Sabalenka soared into the first Australian Open semi-final of her career with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Donna Vekic in the final eight. She reached her second consecutive Majors semifinals after the 2022 US Open. 2023 has been a tremendous year for the World No. 5, winning 9 matches continuously without dropping a single set, and only dropping 26 games in 10 sets so far in Melbourne.
Sabalenka is 2-0 in her career head-to-head against the Polish No. 2, including a 6-2, 6-1 victory last summer at the Tokyo Olympics. The Belarusian will be a heavy favorite against Linette based on her form. However, Linette has taken out four seeded players in five rounds so far in Melbourne, making her a worthy contender.