Australian Talia Gibson shows no sign of slowing during her American dream run after the red-hot 21-year-old downed yet another top-20 victim at the Miami Open.
A day after sending four-time grand slam champion and world number 15 Naomi Osaka packing, Gibson outclassed one of the sport’s brightest new talents, 17th-ranked teenager Iva Jovic, 6-2, 6-2 in the third round.
It was Gibson’s fifth victory over a top-20 player in just three weeks, as she followed up her run to the quarterfinals at Indian Wells, where she took down Ekaterina Alexandrova (ranked 11th), Clara Tauson (17th) and Jasmine Paolini (seventh) before a tight three-set loss to 14th-ranked Linda Nosková.
Gibson jumped 44 spots to world number 68 after the tournament in California and can expect another boost after reaching the last 16 in the second leg of the so-called Sunshine Swing in the US.
She is set to at least become world number 56 next week and move to second in the Australian women’s rankings ahead of Daria Kasatkina (64th) and behind only Maya Joint (31st).
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But the tests only get harder, with Australian Open champion and world number two Elena Rybakina waiting for her after beating Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk 6-3, 6-4.
Gibson listed Rybakina, along with world number one Aryna Sabalenka, as one of her favourite players to watch on tour after reaching the second round of her home slam in January.
“I often find myself watching those girls play and try and learn from what they are doing,” Gibson said.
“But at the same time, I’m not trying to model my game to look like anybody else’s.
“I have my own game and I’m just trying to develop that in my own way.”
The Perth prospect has shown she can hang with anyone on tour, producing an immaculate display of serving to dispatch the 18-year-old American, Jovic, who did not have a single break point in their 72-minute match.
Gibson came through qualifying in California, winning six matches in all, and has now won five on the trot in the other major WTA 1000 event.
She has not dropped a set yet in Miami and has not had her serve broken in her last three matches.
AAP/ABC