Olivia Gadecki’s incredible journey continues as she defeated Colombia’s Camila Osorio 6-2, 6-3 to reach her maiden WTA 500 final in Guadalajara.
The 22-year-old Australian has produced fearless tennis all week in Mexico and carried the same approach in the biggest match of her career.
Locked at 2-2 in the opening set, Gadecki made the first move to claim the next four games and run away with a priceless advantage in just 29 minutes.
Momentum would stay with the qualifier, turning those four straight games into seven consecutive with a healthy 3-0 lead in the second.
However, Gadecki would begin to feel the nerves creep in, broken for the first time in the contest to hand her opponent a chance to serve for 4-4.
In the following game, Gadecki responded as champions do, breaking to 30 and ultimately wrapping up the match on serve despite having to save two match points.
"This week has been a special one," said Gadecki in her on-court interview.
“To be top-100 is pretty amazing and something I've strived for my whole career. It hasn't really sunk in yet but it's crazy, I can't quite believe it."
It was Gadecki's first meeting against world No.61 Osorio, and the Gold Coast girl explained what she did to get through the battle.
"My game plan was to play how I always play," Gadecki admitted, who served an accurate 84 per cent of first serves and won 70 per cent of first serve points. "I'm an aggressive player, and I know I do well when I back myself and commit. I feel like I did that well today."
The victory ensures Gadecki will become the No.1 ranked female Australian when the official rankings are released tomorrow, overtaking Daria Saville.
Gadecki began the tournament ranked No.152 but has now risen 64 places to a career-high No.88 in the live WTA rankings.
She now awaits fifth seed Magdalena Fręch in tomorrow’s decider of the AU$1.4 million event.
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