France's Coin scores historic upset in Grand Slam debut (AFP)
by Greg Heakes 21 minutes ago
NEW YORK (AFP) - Qualifier Julie Coin registered the biggest upset in US Open women's history Thursday, sending world No. 1 and top seed Ana Ivanovic crashing out in the second round.
Coin, who is ranked 188th in the world, broke Ivanovic three times in the one hour, 57 minute match, clinching the victory on her third match point at the main Arthur Ashe Stadium.
"I did a lot of aces and she made a lot of mistakes," Coin said.
The 25-year-old Coin was making her Grand Slam debut after successfully coming through the qualifying round. She had tried but failed earlier this year to qualify for the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon.
Ivanovic looked the more nervous of the two in the deciding third set. She posted a total of eight double faults and made 37 unforced errors to 26 for Coin.
Ivanovic, of Serbia, converted just one of her eight break-point chances and didn't record an ace.
She did managed to survive two match points before going down in one of the biggest upsets in women's tennis history.
Until Coin's win, the top seed at the US Open had not lost earlier than the third round when Billie Jean King was ousted in the 1973 tournament.
Coin moves through to the next round where she will play French countrywoman Amelie Mauresmo.
Coin, who broke Ivanovic's serve five times, double faulted on her first match point. Her second match point came two points later and it took a superb crosscourt forehand directly on the line for Ivanovic to stay in the game.
Coin clinched the win when Ivanovic sailed a forward wide and long on the third match point.
Ivanovic has not had a long reign at number one. Her stay at the top was interrupted for a week earlier this month, but she since regained the top spot in the WTA rankings.
Ivanovic came into the final Grand Slam of the year complaining about a lack of preparation due to injuries.
A muscle strain in her leg did not allow her to play any tuneups prior to Wimbledon, where she made another disappointing exit in the third round.
Later she suffered a right thumb injury, which played a part in her second-round loss last month at the Rogers Cup in Montreal, Canada.
Swelling in the hand forced her to withdraw from the Beijing Olympics where she was the top seed.
In between Beijing and New York she flew to Australia to get more treatment on the hand.