MAGDA Linette is a Grand Slam semi-finalist for the first time after reaching the final four of the Australian Open yesterday. The Pole is the last unseeded woman left in the tournament after she defeated Karolina Pliskova 6-3 7-5.

Pliskova’s serve really let her down, with seven double faults in the match compared to Linette’s single double fault. Pliskova’s unforced error count was high too, 20 more than Linette. Speaking post match, the emotion of the achievement was clear in Linette’s voice.

“It’s so emotional, I can’t really believe it” she said. “It’s really a dream come true, but we keep going. I don’t want to get too excited because we’re still in the tournament but I’m super grateful.”

“I’ll never forget this. This is the first time I’m breaking through some really difficult things for me so I think this will stay with me for life. I’m really grateful and I’m happy for the support so again thank you everyone.”

She has rarely beaten Pliskova in the past, but Linette believes her composure was what helped her to play really well and beat the Czech star this time around.

“I definitely stayed composed at the beginning,” Linette said. “She had a really good break at the very start of the match so I knew how tough it was going to be to break her back, so I just stayed really composed and I’m really happy when I had my chance I took it and I really took care of my service games.

“I thought that the percentage wasn’t there because she’s really pressing me on it, but I’m glad I managed to serve it out. Later on when I had the chance to break her again I took my chances.”

Linette has also been on a journey to take more control over her emotions, which has been a huge step for the Polish star.

“I mean I think all my life I’ve been taking mistakes and losses very personally, so disconnecting those two things, Magda the tennis player and the person, was really difficult as I felt a lot of times that the misses, the mistakes, are defining me so my coaches and me did a really great job. I’m really thankful to them because they put up with a lot of crap so thank you”

Linette next faces big serving Belarussian Aryna Sabalenka tonight for a place in the Australian Open final.