Hsieh exacts revenge on Osaka at Miami Open
Naomi Osaka crashed out in the third round of the Miami Open yesterday morning (Singapore time), as Hsieh Su-wei exacted revenge for a painful Australian Open defeat with a 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 victory.
Tennis' world No. 1 Osaka had looked in little danger after winning the first set and moving a break ahead in the second.
But Taiwanese Hsieh, who was a set and 4-1 up in Melbourne earlier this year before losing to the Japanese star in the third round, battled superbly.
"This was a very emotional win for me," said Hsieh, whose 39 winners were one fewer than her opponent.
"Any time you beat one of the top players it is amazing."
Osaka was coming off a fourth-round exit at Indian Wells, but Hsieh's coach said her victory wasn't surprising.
"She has enough experience to stay strong and you saw that," French coach Frederic Aniere, who has worked with Hsieh for the last two years and is also her boyfriend, told AFP.
"Yes it's huge but, for her, it's not a big surprise."
Hsieh, 33, will play Caroline Wozniacki, who has been plagued by injuries, in the fourth round of the women's draw, which now looks wide open following Osaka's defeat and former world No. 1 Serena Williams' surprise exit with a left-knee injury.
Meanwhile, Roger Federer rallied from a set down to beat Moldovan surprise package Radu Albot 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 .
Federer, beaten by Dominic Thiem in last week's BNP Paribas Open final, smashed 14 aces and broke Albot twice to advance to the third round, where he will face Serbia's Filip Krajinovic tonight. - REUTERS, AFP
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