Serbian tennis star Olga Danilovic was overjoyed after her stunning third-round upset at the Australian Open, where she took down World No. 6 Jessica Pegula. With the crowd roaring and Serbian flags waving, Danilovic celebrated by dropping to her knees, savoring the moment as she reached her deepest run in the tournament so far.
Danilovic’s win was a showcase of her athletic prowess and sharp strategy. She combined quick reflexes with a well-rounded game, mixing delicate drop shots, powerful volleys, and blistering returns that left Pegula struggling to respond. Serving up five aces and winning 73% of her serves, Danilovic appeared in complete control against Pegula, the heiress of the Buffalo Bills.
Finishing the second set with authority, Danilovic’s emotional celebration ignited deafening cheers from her supporters. As she knelt in triumph, her coaching team erupted with joy, while fans waved their Serbian flags in excitement.
Ranked No. 55 in the world, the 23-year-old entered the tournament unseeded, but her victory over No. 7 seed Pegula [7-6(3), 6-1] was no small feat. Pegula, a heavy favorite to win, struggled to contain Danilovic’s relentless play.
“I’m super happy with the way I played,” Danilovic beamed in her post-match interview. “Jessica is on top of the world. She’s such a great player, and I knew I had to bring my A, A, A, plus, plus, plus game to beat her. But deep down, I really believed in myself.”
Danilovic has long been mentored by Serbian tennis legend and 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic, who was visibly thrilled by her victory at Rod Laver Arena. Watching the match on a giant screen, Djokovic celebrated exuberantly, throwing his hands up in joy when Danilovic secured the win after more than 90 minutes of play.
In a 2017 interview, Danilovic revealed that her passion for tennis was sparked by watching Djokovic compete at Wimbledon. She explained how, at 15, she was inspired by his performances, even when he didn’t advance beyond the quarterfinals that year.
“I was watching Novak Djokovic on TV. I don’t remember if it was during Roland Garros or Wimbledon, but it was in the beginning of the summer. I thought it seemed like a nice sport, so I gave it a try,” she said.
