Antonia Ruzic (CRO) has secured her place in the Hobart International semi-finals, delivering a confident straight-sets victory over Olga Danilovic (SRB) on Thursday. Making her tournament debut in 2026, Ruzic looked right at home in Hobart, settling quickly into the conditions and producing a dominant 6–3, 6–3 performance to advance to the final four.
“I’m happy with my win,” Ruzic said post-match. “Olga is a great fighter, but I had a clear plan going into the match to be more aggressive on her weaker side, and I think I executed that well throughout. I focused on keeping the ball in the middle of the court and staying defensive on returns, which worked out effectively.”
The quarter-final encounter marked the second meeting between the two players, with Danilovic having claimed victory in their previous clash. This time, Ruzic’s tactical discipline and confidence proved decisive as she turned the tables.
“We played a couple of years ago at Wimbledon,” Ruzic said. “Over the years you grow as a player, and today I felt my game was stronger on court, which contributed to the result.”
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Ruzic also reflected on the importance of momentum early in the season, highlighting the unpredictable nature of professional tennis.
“In tennis, every week is a new chance,” she said. “I played last week in Brisbane and lost in the first round of qualifying, but now I’m in the semi-finals here. You just have to keep working hard, believe in yourself, and build confidence going into the Australian Open.”
Looking ahead, Ruzic will face Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA) for a place in the final. While she holds a positive head-to-head record, the Croatian remains focused on the challenge ahead.
“I play aggressively and try to take control on court,” she said. “I’ve played Cocciaretto twice before and won both times, but every match is different. Anything can happen, and we’ll see who performs better.”
Ruzic will take on Cocciaretto in the Hobart International semi-finals on Friday 16 January, with fans set for another exciting contest on Centre Court.
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