'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA//aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAyGPHP//EACMQAAECAwkBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEDBAACBgUREhQxMkORwtH/2gAIAQEAAT8ApyxQ/pSq1HbNOR03QRWSmx3HedAPUZN2OA9y/Y//xAAXEQADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAREC/9oACAECAQE/AMqVn//EABQRAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/2gAIAQMBAT8Af//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Australian tennis player Daria Saville reached her first WTA Tour semifinal at the 2023 Hamburg European Open since her return to tennis in June.
Saville, who emerged through qualifying in Hamburg, defeated home favorite Jule Niemeier in the quarterfinals in straight sets 6-3, 6-2. The 29-year-old is yet to drop a set in the main draw of the tournament. She beat fourth seed Jasmine Paolini 6-0, 7-6 (3) in the first round and Tamara Korpatsch 7-6 (6), 6-2 in the second. Saville will next face seventh seed Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands in the semifinals.
Her performances in Hamburg will provide a massive boost of confidence for Saville, who was sidelined from the WTA Tour due to injury. The Australian tore her ACL during the first round of the Japan Open against Naomi Osaka in September 2022. She had to undergo surgery and intensive rehab.
Rennae Stubbs, the former coach of Serena Williams, congratulated Saville after she reached the semifinals in Hamburg, hailing her as a "little legend." Stubbs applauded Saville's toughness and encouraged her to go even further in the tournament.
"And on another note!!! How about @Daria_gav reaching a semifinal just over a month after coming back to play on tour!!!! Is there anyone tougher!!! What a little legend! Let’s go Dash!" Stubbs tweeted.
Daria Saville returned to the WTA Tour in June at the Birmingham Classic but failed in the second qualifying round. She made her first Tour-level appearance since the injury at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships via protected ranking, losing to home favorite Katie Boulter in the first round 7-6 (4), 6-2.
Saville's victory against Paolini in Hamburg was her first win on the WTA Tour since her return.
Daria Saville - "Just to step out on the court, it's already a win"
Injuries have haunted Daria Saville throughout her career. She had to miss many tournaments from 2019 to 2021 due to Achilles and foot injuries.
Before she returned to the WTA Tour in June, Saville spoke to The AO Show about her state of mind. The World No. 225 was practicing with some junior players in Melbourne before entering Birmingham Classic to test her level.
"The last few weeks I've been hitting with some juniors here (in Melbourne), playing a few sets. It's hard to know where my level is at. I think I have a rough idea, but I think I'm just excited to go away and test myself against WTA players,” Daria Saville said.
Saville also revealed that she watched many of her fellow WTA athletes while on the sidelines. She talked about watching compatriots, Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez, as well as Daria Kasatkina and Aryna Sabalenka.
“I normally would just say I like watching my friends. Obviously Storm (Hunter), Ellen (Perez). But then (Daria) Kasatkina, I always watch her. I enjoy watching Aryna (Sabalenka), she's fun to watch,” Saville said.
