Agency Report
Defending champion Naomi Osaka was stunned Friday by unseeded Amanda Anisimova in the Australian Open, the American setting up a fourth-round clash with world number one Ashleigh Barty.
The Japanese four-time Grand Slam champion, seeded 13, won the first set on Margaret Court Arena but the nerveless Anisimova saved two match points in the third to pull off a huge 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10/5) upset.
Her reward is a shot at a place in the quarter-finals against Barty, who crushed Italian 30th seed Camila Giorgi in straight sets.
“I’m speechless, I can’t stop smiling,” said the 20-year-old, who is undefeated this year after winning a lead-up tournament in Melbourne.
“I knew I had to be playing sharp if I wanted to give myself a chance. Naomi is always going to be playing well, she is an absolute champion.
“So I really had to step up my game and try to be aggressive. That’s what I started doing in the second set and so grateful I was able to do this well today and get the win. It means a lot.”
