MELBOURNE, Australia — Russian-born Daria Gavrilova hasn't been an Australian citizen for very long, only receiving her passport in December and permission to represent the country at WTA Tour events.
It certainly hasn't muted the country's excitement as Gavrilova advanced to the round of 16 at the Australian Open on Friday with a stirring 6-4, 4-6, 11-9 win over 28th-seeded Kristina Mladenovic of France in front of a rowdy, highly partisan crowd.
Treating Gavrilova as if she was a native-born star like Lleyton Hewitt or Nick Kyrgios, the crowd chanted "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi! Oi! Oi!" during changeovers and roared when she broke Mladenovic's serve to go up 10-9 in the final set.