(Reuters) – American qualifier Sachia Vickery completed an astonishing comeback to stun third seed Garbine Muguruza 2-6 7-5 6-1 in a second-round win at the BNP Paribas Open in California on Friday.
Seemingly down and out trailing 3-0 in the second set, Vickery raised her game, brought the Indian Wells centre court crowd alive and eventually wore down an increasingly frustrated Muguruza.
The Spaniard crumpled in the third set as 100th-ranked Vickery clinched the biggest win of her young career.
“I’ve just worked so hard for so many years and I’ve always been so close but just could never really get over that hump,” 22-year-old Vickery said in an on-court interview.
“This is just the most amazing night of my life and I couldn’t be happier.
Romanian top seed Simona Halep used a superior serve to beat Czech Kristyna Pliskova 6-4 6-4 on a day when nine seeds were beaten, including Agnieszka Radwanska (31).
Radwanska was beaten by Japan’s Naomi Osaka, who continued her barnstorming form with a 6-3 6-2 victory two days after ousting former world number one Maria Sharapova.
Osaka, 20, dominated on first serve, and also broke four times.
Her next opponent will be Vickery.
