Ankita Raina, the top ranked women’s singles player in India, claimed a huge upset win over former US Open champion Samantha Stosur at the Kunping Open in China on Wednesday.
For Ankita, currently ranked 178 in the world, this victory over the third seed and the Grand Slam winner can be called the biggest victory of her career so far. Raina beat the fancied Australian 7-5, 2-6, 6-5 in a gruelling first round battle that took two hours and fifty minutes.
This is the second time the two faced off, with Stosurhaving won their last encounter in straight sets.
The 26-year-old Indian struggled to hold her serve andmanaged only three aces throughout the match, while Stosur smashed seven aces.However, the world no 77 made more errors — 18 double faults — compared toAnkita’s six.
She will face Kai-Lin Zhang of China, who is ranked 209 in the world, in the second round.