Greek star and world no. 6 Maria Sakkari has change into the most recent ladies’s seed to crash out of the Australian Openstruggling a three-set, third-round upset by the hands of China’s Zhu Lin.
World no. 87 Zhu fought her solution to a tricky 7-6 (7-3) 1-6 6-Four win to rejoice Chinese language New 12 months in high quality type and arrange a showdown with two-time champion Victoria Azarenka within the final 16.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Zhu Lin’s emotional post-match interview.
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A rollercoaster encounter took twists and turns to the top, with Zhu changing a 3rd break level to take a 5-Four lead within the third set earlier than she served out the match after greater than two-and-a-half hours.
“Am I in a dream? Phrases cannot describe how I really feel proper now,” Zhu mentioned after the most important win of her profession.
“I wish to thank my group and thanks all for pushing me at present to change into a greater participant.”
Zhu’s first win over a top-10 opponent took her into the fourth spherical of a grand slam for the primary time.
The 28-year-old’s earlier greatest outcomes had been second-round appearances at Wimbledon (2021) and the US Open (2019).
“I’ve to consider in myself,” Zhu mentioned.
“I’ve the flexibility to have the ability to play at this excessive degree and I want to only work onerous each day.
“Who is aware of what is going on to occur?” You by no means know.”
Sixth seed Sakkari had been lower than convincing in her earlier match, scraping her manner by to the third spherical after being rattled by Russian teenager Diana Shnaider.
In opposition to Zhu, the two-time grand slam semi-finalist wrested momentum through the second set however handed it straight again when she was damaged within the first sport of the third.
Sakkari blasted 42 winners to Zhu’s 29, but in addition made 52 unforced errors to her opponent’s 38.
