Ten years ago, Dayana Yastremska cheeredSerena Williamson to an Australian Open victory from the other side of her television.Now, she’ll be watching Williams from the other side of the Australian Open court, hoping for a slightly different outcome.The 18-year-old Ukrainian is set to go up against Williams on Saturday in the third round match at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, where the annual sporting event is taking place. And though it’ll be a different setting than she’s used to watching Williams, Yastremska told the Women’s Tennis Association that playing against Williams is the culmination of a lifelong dream.“Looking at her, I knew one day I am going to get to play with her,” Yastremska said in an article published Friday. “For me, it will be a history match to play against a legend of tennis and I appreciate a lot that I have this moment and this situation to play against her. I think a young generation playing against an experienced legend is amazing.”Ella Ling/BPI/REX/Shutterstock; Rob Prange/REX/ShutterstockIt won’t be easy for Yastremska to play the woman who inspired her to pursue a professional career in tennis all those years ago.Back then, Yastremska was sitting in her living room in Odessa, Ukrane, watching Williams in a Grand Slam match. “She was losing,” Yastremska recalled, according to the WTA. “I went fast to my room and I took my tennis racquet, I went back to the living room and I made the imitations when she was hitting the balls. I felt that I am helping her to win the balls.”From there, Williams got better — winning the ball, the point, the game, the set, and eventually, the match. “I was screaming the same time she was screaming,” Yastremska said in the interview. “I had in my thought that I guess we won together. It’s our win.”Then Yastremska had another thought. ” ‘Maybe one day I will play with her in a big arena,’ ” she remembered, according to the WTA. “This day is going to be tomorrow. The time passes so fast. … I remember that from childhood and it’s a dream come true.”Just because Williams has had an immeasurable mark on Yastremska’s career doesn’t mean she’s going to go easy on the champ.“When I go on court tomorrow I won’t think about everything. I’m going to just fight and try and show my best tennis and try to win her. I just respect her,” Yastremska said. “I’m going to try to win her. I’m going to try to show my best tennis. And maybe later I will tell her this small story.”EPA/TRACEY NEARMYYastremska, who has already beaten Sam Stosur and Carla Suárez Navarro in previous Australian Open matches this year, has already met Williams — though she didn’t go into too much detail about her admiration.Instead, Yastremska simply complimented Williams while the two were in the locker room before the tournament began.“It was after practice, I was changing,” Yastremska said, according to the WTA. “She passed to go to practice. I just said. ‘Hello, you have a great daughter, I respect you a lot as a person as a player.’ ”Williams was receptive, Yastremska said. “She said, ‘Thank you very much, you’re so nice, so sweet,’ ” Yastremska explained. “It was a nice conversation.”“I did not know I would play with her in the third round, but after I saw [her] I thought, ‘Wow, that’s nice.’ ”Still, whatever happens, Yastremska said, the WTA reported, “It’s a moment I’m going to remember forever.”
Ten years ago, Dayana Yastremska cheeredSerena Williamson to an Australian Open victory from the other side of her television.
Now, she’ll be watching Williams from the other side of the Australian Open court, hoping for a slightly different outcome.
The 18-year-old Ukrainian is set to go up against Williams on Saturday in the third round match at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, where the annual sporting event is taking place. And though it’ll be a different setting than she’s used to watching Williams, Yastremska told the Women’s Tennis Association that playing against Williams is the culmination of a lifelong dream.
“Looking at her, I knew one day I am going to get to play with her,” Yastremska said in an article published Friday. “For me, it will be a history match to play against a legend of tennis and I appreciate a lot that I have this moment and this situation to play against her. I think a young generation playing against an experienced legend is amazing.”
Ella Ling/BPI/REX/Shutterstock; Rob Prange/REX/Shutterstock
It won’t be easy for Yastremska to play the woman who inspired her to pursue a professional career in tennis all those years ago.
Back then, Yastremska was sitting in her living room in Odessa, Ukrane, watching Williams in a Grand Slam match. “She was losing,” Yastremska recalled, according to the WTA. “I went fast to my room and I took my tennis racquet, I went back to the living room and I made the imitations when she was hitting the balls. I felt that I am helping her to win the balls.”
From there, Williams got better — winning the ball, the point, the game, the set, and eventually, the match. “I was screaming the same time she was screaming,” Yastremska said in the interview. “I had in my thought that I guess we won together. It’s our win.”
Then Yastremska had another thought. ” ‘Maybe one day I will play with her in a big arena,’ ” she remembered, according to the WTA. “This day is going to be tomorrow. The time passes so fast. … I remember that from childhood and it’s a dream come true.”
Just because Williams has had an immeasurable mark on Yastremska’s career doesn’t mean she’s going to go easy on the champ.
“When I go on court tomorrow I won’t think about everything. I’m going to just fight and try and show my best tennis and try to win her. I just respect her,” Yastremska said. “I’m going to try to win her. I’m going to try to show my best tennis. And maybe later I will tell her this small story.”
EPA/TRACEY NEARMY
Yastremska, who has already beaten Sam Stosur and Carla Suárez Navarro in previous Australian Open matches this year, has already met Williams — though she didn’t go into too much detail about her admiration.
Instead, Yastremska simply complimented Williams while the two were in the locker room before the tournament began.
“It was after practice, I was changing,” Yastremska said, according to the WTA. “She passed to go to practice. I just said. ‘Hello, you have a great daughter, I respect you a lot as a person as a player.’ ”
Williams was receptive, Yastremska said. “She said, ‘Thank you very much, you’re so nice, so sweet,’ ” Yastremska explained. “It was a nice conversation.”
“I did not know I would play with her in the third round, but after I saw [her] I thought, ‘Wow, that’s nice.’ ”
Still, whatever happens, Yastremska said, the WTA reported, “It’s a moment I’m going to remember forever.”
source: people.com
