Charleston, April 8: Lauren Davis shocked fellow American and second seed Sofia Kenin in the second round of the Charleston Open.
Davis picked up her third career win over a Top 5 player with the gruelling two-and-a-half-hour victory over world number four Kenin, rallying to claim the win 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Wednesday, Xinhua news reports.
“I’m super excited,” Davis said. “It was a really tough match, she obviously is an incredible player and one of the best competitors that I’ve seen. To have won this, in Charleston with these conditions, being so hot out, it’s really special for me.”
The 79th-ranked Davis is now a win away from matching her career-best run in Charleston, when she reached the quarter-finals in 2015 before losing to eventual runner-up Madison Keys.
“I think this gives me some really good momentum,” Davis said.
“I always have that self-belief, but it’s just a matter of digging deep and applying that on the court.”
“So the fact that I was able to do this today and show myself that I can beat a Grand Slam champion, it’s very cool, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the tournament,” she added.
Davis will now meet another American ranked higher than her at 36, Coco Gauff, in the round of 16. (IANS)
