Williams, Konta, Pilskova also through
By Dan Imhoff
Nearly 18 years after reaching her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, Mirjana Lucic-Baroni has finally repeated the achievement.
The name Mirjana Lucic is engraved on two Australian Open trophies already, having won the 1997 junior girls’ singles title and the 1998 women’s doubles.
But it is her surprise run to the women’s singles quarterfinals in 2017 that has the now
married Lucic-Baroni celebrating what could be her greatest achievement.
The form guide would suggest her run to the Wimbledon semifinals as a 16-year-old in 1999 is to date her best result at a major.
She took down Monica Seles that year before the great Steffi Graf ended her run.
Eighteen years on, she is back in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam after an impressive 6-4 6-2 victory over American qualifier Jennifer Brady at Melbourne Park on Monday.
For the 34-year-old, this is all the more sweeter, given her off-court family struggles which
ruled her out of the game for years.
“So much better now. It's incredible now. I mean, back then it was kind of expected of me and it was normal,” Lucic-Baroni said.
“I won a lot as a junior. Then I won a lot as soon as I started playing pro. It was kind of normal. It was normal to win tournaments, normal to win big matches and go far. I mean, it was incredible, of course, but it was more normal.
“But now it's been so long, it's extra fun, it's extra special, for sure.”
The squeals of delight from the 34-year-old said it all when 21-year-old Brady’s final backhand sailed long.
An astonishing 35 winners flew from Lucic-Baroni’s strings.
This was the former teenage prodigy who won a WTA Tour event at 15 the same year she had won the junior girls’ singles at the Australian Open.
Women’s doubles success followed at Australian Open 1998 with Martina Hingis before that stunning run to the Wimbledon semifinals a year later.
Fifth seed Karolina Pliskova or Australian Daria Gavrilova is next. Despite playing with her left leg heavily strapped, Lucic-Baroni insists she will be fine to continue her dream run. For now, she will savour this victory.
“It’s incredible. I always said I know I had the game. I’ve worked so hard and sacrificed so much,” she said. “I hope nobody is going to pinch me and wake me up, because this is just incredible.
“I’m a tough little cookie and really, really stubborn. When I want something I will work really hard to get it.
“It’s not a guarantee by any means, for sure, that you’re going to get there, but man, what a satisfaction I feel right now. I will tell it to anybody struggling out there, actually I can’t say because I’m going to get fined.
“Eff everything and everybody who tells you you can’t do it. Do it with your heart.”
