NEW YORK-- With the sun setting Tuesday at the US Open in the first round, the American qualifier and 296th ranked Victoria Duval shut down the 2011 US Open champion Samantha Stosur of Australia 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 in a thrilling day two upset.
The 17 year old Duval, wearing a red Eleven dress and black Eleven visor designed by one of her idols, Venus Williams, had served for the first set at 5-4; only to be broken at love before dropping set one.
In the second set, the 11th seeded Stosur raced to a 4-2 lead before Duval broke then held serve to level the set at 4 all. A netted Stosur backhand slice crosscourt followed by a framed Stosur forehand down the line resulted in another break of serve which would put the American ahead 5-4 in set two.
On set point, a forceful Duval forehand crosscourt would lead to a
netted Stosur forehand down the line to even the match at one set all after one hour and 50 minutes
of play; with the American winning the last four games of the set.
Both players held serve the first six games of the third set
to reach 3 all. Then three Stosur errors: a double fault followed by a netted inside out forehand down
the line and a netted backhand slice down the line would send Duval a break of serve ahead 4-3.
Three more groundstroke errors from the Australian left her down 3-5.
