Victoria Duval's first round meeting with Samantha Stosur on Louis Armstrong had all the ingredients for an upset: night session, full house and, most importantly, an underdog with a heartwarming back story.
Born in Miami to Haitian parents, Duval survived an armed robbery as a seven-year-old, and three years ago nearly lost her father when he was buried alive during Haiti's devastating earthquake.
But it is Duval's on-court charm and fearless ball-striking that captured hearts at Flushing Meadows, where she became an overnight sensation by dispatching 2011 champion Stosur, 57 64 64. A graduate of the famed Bollettieri Academy, Duval, ranked No.296, took the ball early and on the rise, and went for the corners with almost reckless abandon. She surprised Stosur with the angles she could create, and never allowed her the opportunity to dictate with her trusty forehand.
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