MADRID, Spain – Qualifier Louisa Chirico continued her run at the Mutua Madrid Open, coming out on top in Thursday’s quarterfinal encounter with fellow surprise package Daria Gavrilova.

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Prior to the start of the tournament World No.130 Chirico was not even sure she would make it into the qualifying draw, but after sneaking in thanks to a couple of late withdrawals she has grasped her opportunity with both hands.

Considering the American was contesting only her second WTA quarterfinal – and first at a Premier event – she cut a remarkably relaxed figure throughout, finishing strongly to close out a 7-6(1), 6-2 victory.

“It’s been pretty cool from the beginning really,” Chirico said in her post-match press conference. “I actually wasn’t in the draw. I don’t know – yeah, I wasn’t in qualies when I landed in Madrid.

“We landed at 10 minutes to 4pm, which is when the cut closes. We were like, ‘Can you call the supervisor? Am I in?’ Lucky enough to make it in and then qualify and get to where I am now. So it’s been a really exciting ride so far, but I’m not finished.”

Having profited from late withdrawal of Victoria Azarenka in the previous round, Chirico’s freshness told as the contest wore on. In the first set tie-break, the 19-year-old played the more assured tennis and in the second upped the ante, finding the lines with increasing frequency – she finished with an impressive 27 winners – to canter towards the finishing post.

Chirico is the first American teenager to make the last four of a Premier clay court event since Ashley Harkleroad at Charleston in 2003. There she will face either Dominika Cibulkova or Sorana Cirstea.

Regardless of the result in that match, Chirico is guaranteed a place in the Top 100 next week. Although for the time being her attention is on the here and now.

“I haven’t actually looked at any of the rankings or the points yet, so I usually don’t do that in the tournament until afterwards,” she added. “But, yeah, so I am just focusing on what I have to do for my next match really. All that stuff will take care of itself – afterwards I’ll enjoy that.”