Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska has pledged all-out aggression in her first WTA final at the Adelaide International.
The rising 19-year-old downed Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka 6-4 7-6 (7-4) in Friday’s semi-final at Memorial Drive to reach a career landmark.
The world No.24 faces a possible final against Australia’s world No.1 Ashleigh Barty, who plays American Danielle Collins in a Friday night semi.
“Ashleigh is definitely a very great player, Collins is more aggressive, but I don’t have any preference,” Yastremska said.
Yastremska has met Barty once before, a straight-sets loss last year in Miami, but promised to continue her overtly aggressive approach in Adelaide.
“I had a good preseason, I worked on a lot of things and I think that’s paying off … each game, I’m playing better and better,” she said.
“To be able to use my aggression on the court in the right way … we’re working on that.”
The unseeded Yastremska blasted 28 winners compared to sixth-seed Sabalenka’s 17 in a deliberate ploy to counter the Belarusian’s renowned power.
“That for sure was part of the tactic, to be more aggressive than her so she doesn’t have a lot of opportunity to be able to control the rallies and be in the court,” Yastremska said.
“And I think that was important against her, and against a player who is playing really aggressive, just try to get the first initiative of the rally.”