Australian number one Arina Rodionova has made tennis history by becoming the oldest woman to enter the world's top 100 for the first time.
The 34-year-old veteran reached the landmark when she battled back to beat Chinese prospect Bai Zhuoxuan 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 in the Thailand Open in Hua Hin on Thursday night to book a quarterfinal spot.
The victory ensures that next Monday when the next WTA rankings are announced, she will crack the top 100 at the age of 34 years and 52 days, continuing the Melburnian's amazing late-career rise, which has been fuelled by indignation.
She has finally broken through the barrier after a professional career that began 20 years ago in Russia.
Rodionova was denied a wild card for the recent Australian Open and was knocked out in the first round of qualifying, despite being the nation's number one-ranked player.
The Russian-born player said she felt she was suffering a personal vendetta at the hands of the governing body.
"The only regrets I have from today is just I gave Tennis Australia something to celebrate," Rodionova had said defiantly after her first-round qualifying loss in Melbourne.
"I think they are very pleased with my result today and that's what makes me upset."
But in her first competition since the Open, Rodionova has given the authorities further food for thought by now becoming the only Australian woman to feature in the top 100.
Currently ranked at 101, her run in Hua Hin will elevate her, provisionally, to number 96 when the new rankings come out.
If she wins the tournament, Rodionova could shoot up to the verge of the top 70.
The next-best-ranked Australian is Kim Birrell, at number 124.
At the start of 2023, Rodionova was ranked only 302, but won seven lower-level ITF singles titles in a breakthrough year after recovering from a serious wrist injury.
By roaring back to win the last 11 games on the trot to thrash 21-year-old Bai, Rodionova has now booked her spot in just the second tour-level quarterfinal of her career.
The last time she got to the last-eight was in Nanchang, China, seven years ago.
After knocking out two Chinese players already on her run, Rodionova will now have to get past a third, second seed Zhu Lin — the world number 45 — on Friday.
Friday promises to be a busy day for Rodionova as she also features in the doubles semifinal alongside Chinese partner Yuan Yue, who she beat in the first round of the singles.
AAP/ABC