Danielle Collins will face off against Alizé Cornet in the Australian Open quarter-finals –– much to the delight of compatriot Madison Keys.
Collins defeated 19th seed Elise Mertens in the fourth round, while Cornet shocked former world number one Simona Halep to reach the last eight.
Both players were considered underdogs ahead of their recent matches but Keys had expressed in the build-up to the contests that she would love to see Collins and Cornet take each other on.
“I want to see Danielle Collins and Cornet play each other,” she stressed.
Her wish was granted as both Collins and Cornet saw off their opponents in three sets.
Collins’ win means she has now reached the quarters in Melbourne for the second time, having made it to the semi-finals back in 2019.
The American has two career WTA titles to her name and was seeded 27th for this tournament.
Meanwhile, Cornet has reached this stage of the competition for the first time and this now marks her best ever performance in a major.
The 32-year-old turned professional more than 15 years ago but the French veteran has caused multiple upsets already in the past week.
Aside from defeating Halep, Cornet also knocked out world number three and reigning WTA Finals champion Garbiñe Muguruza in straight sets in round two.
Cornet and Collins are yet to meet in a competitive match but their contrasting styles suggest this could be an exciting contest for the neutral.
Collins is naturally aggressive and likes to play her shots. Cornet, on the other hand, is a steady, return-oriented player who likes to counterpunch.
The winner will book themselves a spot in the semi-finals against either Iga Świątek or Kaia Kanepi.
There is a chance one of these two could also meet Keys in the final if the American makes it that far.
The 26-year-old is in the form of her life right now, having won the Adelaide International 2 earlier in January.
Keys is on a run of nine consecutive victories but faces French Open champion Barbora Krejčíková in the last eight.
The Czech star is one of the most consistent players in the world and has reached the last 16 at four majors in a row.
It’s an enticing match on paper and the winner could well meet world number one Ashleigh Barty in the semi-finals.