Dayana Yastremska says it is her “mission” to show pride in her home country of Ukraine after becoming the first qualifier since 1978 to reach the Australian Open semi-finals.
Yastremska breezed past Czech teenager Linda Noskova 6-3 6-4 in just 78 minutes to make the last four.
“I’m very proud of them,” she said.
Yastremska will face China’s Zheng Qinwen on Thursday after the 12th seed fought back to beat Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-1.
Both Zheng and Yastremska will be appearing in their first major semi-final, with Zheng having previously reached the US Open quarter-finals last year.
Yastremska wrote a message of support for Ukrainian fighters on the camera lens, amid the ongoing invasion of the country by Russia.
“I think it’s my mission here,” she added. “I’m just trying to give the signal to Ukraine that I’m really proud of it.”
“They really deserve huge respect. I always try to write something for Ukraine, about Ukraine.
Yastremska is the second qualifier in the Open era to reach the Melbourne Park last four after Christine Dorey in the 1978 tournament.