No woman has done more damage to the Russian cause at the Australian Open than No.24 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
The 25-year-old from Moscow continued her best-ever campaign at Melbourne Park on Sunday by upsetting No.8 seed and two-time major champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3 6-3 in the round of 16.
Two of Pavlyuchenkova's previous victories this year were also against countrywomen Evgeniya Rodina and Natalia Vikhlyantseva.
Her only non-Russian scalp to date was No.11 seed Elina Svitolina - and she hails from neighbouring Ukraine.
Of the 11 Russian women who made it through to the main draw this year at Melbourne Park, only Pavlyuchenkova and No.30 seed Ekaterina Makarova survived the first week.
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Pavlyuchenkova has enjoyed previous success at Melbourne Park as a junior, winning back-to-back girls' titles in 2006 and 2007.
She has now also reached the last eight at each of the four slams at senior level and will next face veteran American Venus Williams as she chases a maiden major semi-finals berth.
"I was always wondering why I could never have a good start here in Australia after a good pre-season, good off-season, and a lot of practising," said Pavlyuchenkova.
"But now it seems like I've found a way, and I'm super-excited to still be in the second week here.
"I have a lot of memories, because I won it twice in juniors and was showing some good tennis, as well.
"But in the pros I'd never achieved something big here even though it's one of my favourite grand slams."
The only Russian woman to lift the Australian Open crown was Maria Sharapova back in 2008.
