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Ashleigh Barty's ambition is to become the first semi-finalist in singles at the Australian Open for 35 years when she will face Petra Kvitova in the last eight games.
Barty hopes to make up for an "agonizing" Kvitova defeat in the Sydney International final.
The 15th seed eliminated Maria Sharapova of Russia in the fourth round.
"It's exciting that I immediately have another chance to play Petra," said Barty.
The eighth-seeded Czech Kvitova has qualified for the final in Sydney earlier this month and Barty is hoping for a chance to take revenge.
"It's another challenge and an opportunity for me to play my best tennis," added Barty.
"I had already lost an agonizing finale before I could play freely."
Barty won the biggest title of his career at the WTA Elite Trophy in November, while Kvitova is a two-time Grand Slam champion.
"I gave myself the opportunity to play in front of the best crowd in the world on one of the best courts in the world and in my national slam," said Barty. "There is absolutely nothing better."
Chris O'Neill was the last home winner in Australia in 1978, while Wendy Turnbull reached the semi-finals in 1984.
Kvitova, who won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014, has not pbaded the quarter-finals in Melbourne since 2012.
She has reached this stage of the Grand Slam only once since she was stabbed by hand by an intruder at her home in 2016.
"I'm a bit of a different person, I have a different mentality from those years when I won," Kvitova said.
"I'm just here to enjoy tennis – it's very important not to be too stressed about it.
"It's great to be in the quarter-finals, but I know how hard it is to win a Grand Slam."
I came back better player – Barty
Barty scored 39 points on 27 launches in his cricket debut against the Melbourne Stars
Barty has taken more than a year of tennis to play professional cricket and thinks it has helped revive her career on the court.
Aged 22, she retired in 2014 and played for Brisbane Heat in the women's Big Bash after declaring that tennis was a "solitary sport".
"There is never a lonely moment on the ground if you fight," she said at the time. "There are 10 other girls who can help you and help you through the hard times."
Barty returned to tennis in 2017 and was successful, reaching for the first time the third round of the Australian Open.
She then reached the same stage in three other Grand Slam tournaments before going one step further at the US Open last year.
"I had to take that time away," said Barty. "For me, having 18 months off was vital, I feel like I came back as a better player on the court and out of tennis, a better tennis player."
Barty or Kvitova will face Danielle Collins in the semifinal on Thursday after the defeat of American Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (2-6 7 to 6-5) by the Russian.
Women's quarter-finals remaining:
S Williams (16) against Ka Pliskova (7)
N Osaka (4) / E Svitolina (6)
P Kvitova (8) against A Barty (15)
Tiafoe aims Nadal's shock
Frances Tiafoe was on the verge of tears after her fourth round victory over Grigor Dimitrov
American Frances Tiafoe secured her quarter-final place – and celebrated her 21st birthday – by beating Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov.
He will face Tuesday Rafael Nadal, world number two and 17 times Grand Slam champion, in the last match of the night session at the Rod Laver Arena.
Tiafoe said that he had bought a house in Maryland, Maryland and that he had helped his father thank them for the role they had played in his career.
"At the beginning of my career, I was trying to do everything for my family," said Tiafoe.
"Obviously now I put them in a great place, now I'm trying to do it for me."
His opponent Nadal has not yet lost a set in the tournament and beat the Czech Tomas Berdych to reach the last eight.
"Tiafoe has it all, he's fast, he's serving well," said 32-year-old Nadal.
"He's a very aggressive and aggressive player, and of course he's dangerous."
The winner will face Stefanos Tsitsipas, 14th seeded, in the semi-finals, after the 20-year-old defeated Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5 4-6 6-6 7-6 (7-2).
Quarter-final men remaining:
N Djokovic (1) by K Nishikori (8)
M Raonic (16) v L Apulia (28)
F Tiafoe v R Nadal (2)
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