Australian Open: Magda Linette shocks world No. 4 Caroline Garcia to reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final

Magda Linette is through to the first Grand Slam quarter-final of her career after beating world No. 4 Caroline Garcia 7-6(3) 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena.

Garcia’s forehand was misfiring throughout as Linette fought back from 0-3 down to take the first set on the tie-break before she broke in the ninth game of the second and served out the match.

“I don’t really believe it,” an ecstatic Linette said in her on-court interview.

“I still can’t believe it really. I don’t know what happened.

“I’m speechless really. I don’t know what to say. I don’t want to say I expected it because coming on the court I was confident in how well I’m playing, but obviously she’s such an amazing opponent. Such a tough woman especially on the big stage.

“I knew it was going to be super tough and I’m just glad I stayed composed throughout the whole first set and managed to come back again.”

Linette fired three backhands long in the very first game and it was one of those that saw Garcia take an early break.

The Pole continued to be troubled by the same shot and she faced another break point because of it. Garcia thumped a cross-court return to take a rapid 3-0 lead. But it was then that Linette mounted a comeback.

Linette instantly responded by getting a break back, and she got another when Garcia was serving for the set. The Frenchwoman produced a long backhand of her own for Linette to make it 5-5.

Garcia fought hard to force a tie-break, but she smashed her racquet into the ground after a double fault gifted Linette a mini-break and a 4-2 lead. Linette held her next two points on her serve before finishing the first set with an unreturnable forehand.

In the second set Linette looked the more likely to break as Garcia’s forehand continued to let her down. The world No. 45 had three break points at 3-3, but Garcia saved all of them in a tense ten-minute game.

Linette continued to pressure and on her fifth break point of the set she got the breakthrough.

Garcia whipped a forehand wide which saw the 30-year-old move to within a game away of victory before showing great composure to serve out the match.

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