Australia’s Talia Gibson has continued her giant-killing run, defeating four-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka in straight sets at the Miami Open.
The 21-year-old qualifier advanced to the round of 32 with a 7-5, 6-4 second round victory against the 16th seed.
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Gibson, ranked 68th in the world, will next face 18th seed Iva Jovic as she looks to extend her stunning hot streak in the US hardcourt swing.
Her win against the Japanese superstar follows a superb run to the quarter-final at Indians Wells in the California desert.
Gibson became the first Australian woman since Casey Dellacqua in 2014 to reach the final eight at the tournament sometimes called ‘the fifth grand slam’.
She knocked out three seeded players along the way, including world No.7 Jasmine Paolini in her first win against a top ten player.
Gibson jumped into the world’s top 100 for the first time as a result, and she is projected to move to 63rd in the rankings after defeating Osaka.
“I was able to draw on some experiences from Indian Wells to stay calm,” Gibson said.
“It’s been really cool to see what I am capable of, and it’s really exciting for me.”
Her bank balance also received a significant boost at Indian Wells, pocketing US$270,000 for her efforts.
She will received US$61,865 for making the third round in Miami, but will earn close to US$200,000 if she can repeat her quarter-final run.
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