Australian Open: Kaia Kanepi stuns world no 2 Aryna Sabalenka to enter quarterfinals

Kaia Kanepi completed her career set of Grand Slam quarter-finals with a thrilling upset of world number two Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open on Monday.

World number 115 Kanepi became the 15th active player to have reached the last eight at every Grand Slam. She came through a series of wild momentum swings to defeat Sabalenka for the second time in as many meetings. She upset the Belarusian 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(7) to reach the quarter-finals in Melbourne.

The Estonian stalwart relinquished four match points at the tail-end of the third set and celebrated her landmark victory a point too early in the match tiebreak, before closing out the sizeable shock on Margaret Court Arena.

Never count @KanepiKaia out 

At 36 years of age, world No.115 upsets world No.2 Aryna Sabalenka 5-7 6-2 7-6[7] to reach the #AusOpen quarterfinals for the very first time.#AO2022 pic.twitter.com/358aIfkf1R

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2022

The 36-year-old will duel with world No.9 Iga Swiatek in the last eight, who had tears of relief and joy combined after battling past Romania’s Sorana Cirstea 5-7 6-3 6-3 to launch into unchartered territory in Melbourne.

“Actually, I thought I was going to lose it after the match points I had on my serve. It was really difficult to come back. I don’t know how I managed to do it,” Kanepi admitted.

“Australian Open was the only quarterfinal Grand Slam that I’m missing. My age … I didn’t actually believe I will do it. I’m really happy,” she added.