Agnieszka Radwanska has ensured this year’s Australian Open will crown a first-time female winner by snapping a seven-match losing streak against Victoria Azarenka.
Radwanska maintained her self-belief after gifting the second set to her nemesis, racing away to win the quarter-final 6-1 5-7 6-0 against the two-time defending title-holder on Wednesday.
The Polish fifth seed’s reward is a semi-final against fellow 24-year-old Dominika Cibulkova from Slovakia, continuing a rivalry that began way back in the under-nines.
The other semi will pit No.4 seed Li Na against Canadian teen sensation Eugenie Bouchard.
Li’s 2011 French Open crown is the only major title won by any of the four Open semi-finalists.
It is also the first time since 1997 that none of the top three women’s seeds have made it through to the last four at Melbourne Park.
That title was the first of three won by Martina Hingis, whose court craft and elegant shot-making has often been compared to that of Radwanska.
The Polish star is through to a grand slam semi for only the third time in 31 attempts and the first at any major other than Wimbledon.
“It’s hard to play someone I’d lost to so many times before,” said Radwanska.
“She’s a great player, especially here where she’s playing amazing tennis.
“On the other hand, I really had nothing to lose.
“She was defending the title, not me.
“I was really trying to play my best tennis and go for every shot I could.”
Azarenka was left to rue a slew of unforced errors in the first and third sets against an opponent playing out of her skin.
“She was just doing everything a little better than me,” said the world No.2.
“I was like a spectator.”
Cibulkova had upset No.3 seed Maria Sharapova in the previous round and never looked like suffering a letdown on Wednesday against Simona Halep.
The 11th-seeded Romanian was overawed in her first grand slam quarter-final and was only able to hold her serve twice in seven attempts in a 6-3 6-0 drubbing.
“I was playing aggressive and I was playing freely,” said Cibulkova.
“I really enjoyed my time on the court.
“That’s what I want to do.
“If I put pressure on myself I play nervous and that’s not what I want to do.”
Radwanska has won two of her previous clashes against Cibulkova at senior level, including a 6-0 6-0 drubbing at last year’s Sydney International.
“It’s always tricky to play someone that you’ve known for so long and played so many times as well,” said Radwanska.
“But every match is a different story, especially when it’s a semi-final of a grand slam and the first semi for me here and for her as well.”