Australian up-and-comer Destanee Aiava's tennis is certainly peaking at the right time of the Launceston International.
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Systematically dismantling Japan's Naho Sato 6-1 6-2 in a physical contest not reflective of the scoreline, the 19-year-old was proud of her quarter-final showing.
"It was tough against her, the score doesn't suggest that but I think I played pretty well today to not let her get too much confidence, so I'm happy about that," she said.
"I think I had to be really physical today on the court and use my power against her as much as I can and I served it out pretty well."
ELSEWHERE IN SPORT
The first player born in the 2000s to contest a Grand Slam, Aiava, who is ranked 242, aims to be positioned in the top 100 by the end of the season, a goal she had for last year but was unsuccessful in attaining.
Set for tournaments in Perth, Canberra and Europe following Launceston, she now faces No.2 seed Sachia Vickery who comfortably dealt with Aiava's fellow Australian teenager Amber Marshall.
Marshall started the match off with a bang, breaking the world No. 154's serve in the opening game but Vickery then showed her class, not letting the Australian win another in the first set before winning the match 6-1 6-2.
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In the other semi-final, Japan's Ayano Shimizu will face Asia Muhammed from the United States, who ensured Aiava would be the sole Australian representative in the final four by accounting for Abbie Myers 6-0 6-3 in what would be the longest quarter-final clash at just 75 minutes long.
Sixth seed Shimizu took the first set against the in-form Fanni Stollar in the opening clash of the day before the Hungarian met the same fate as her previous opponent, Paula Badosa, and was forced to retire.