Australian world number 126 Priscilla Hon has scored a stunning upset win over 17th seed Liudmila Samsonova to advance to the US Open third round.
Hon, who only reached the main singles draw after winning in qualifying, backed up her first-ever win at Flushing Meadows in the first round with a shock win over Russian Samsonova, who reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon last month.
It was undoubtedly the biggest win of her career and sent her into a grand slam third round for the first time.
Hon fired 18 aces and 36 winners past Samsonova to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to progress in New York, where she will face 16th-seeded Belinda Bencic or American world number 49 Ann Li for an improbable spot in the last 16.
Hon gleefully signed autographs and posed for selfies after securing a career pay day of at least US$237,000 ($363,000) and a likely rankings leap into the world’s top 100 for the first time.
Samsonova wiped out Australia’s top two women’s players, Daria Kasatkina and Maya Joint, en route to the last eight at the All England Club in July.
Other big scalps on her CV this year include four-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka, Wimbledon finalist Amanda Animisova, world number four Jessica Pegula, and Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Bencic.
Hon is the first Australian through to the third round, with Kasatkina and Joint still in the running to join her, while Jordan Thompson is one of the men trying to emulate her efforts.
Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, Tristan Schoolkate and Adam Walton are all also still alive in the men’s draw.
Jordan Thompson was locked in a battle with French veteran Adrian Mannarino on Court 11 as Hon wrapped up her victory with back-to-back aces.
AAP/ABC