NEW DELHI: Former Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki faced an unexpected exit on Wednesday as Russian qualifier Maria Timofeeva secured a remarkable second-round victory, defeating the 2018 winner 1-6, 6-4, 6-1.
The 33-year-old Dane, back on the circuit with her two young children, started strongly on John Cain Arena but couldn't sustain the momentum against Timofeeva's impressive performance.
"I'm really a bit speechless now," said Timofeeva. "It was an honour for me to play here against Caroline. I was going into the match without any expectations, just to show what I'm capable of ... I enjoyed every second of it."
Wozniacki, a former world number one, broke twice in a dominant first set and seemed on track for a routine win after breaking early in the second set. However, Timofeeva fought back, leveling the scores at 2-2 and eventually winning the set after carving out two set points on Wozniacki's serve.
Playing in her first Grand Slam, the 20-year-old Russian showcased impressive power, hitting 18 winners compared to Wozniacki's five in a set that lasted just over an hour.
The deciding set saw both players swapping breaks, but Wozniacki found herself in trouble when she slipped 3-1 down, unable to cope with Timofeeva's superior firepower. The Russian closed out the match with ease, tallying an impressive 40 winners.
The defeat comes as a significant disappointment for Wozniacki, who had aspirations of winning a second Australian Open crown in Melbourne despite her current low ranking of 252 in the world. Timofeeva's next challenge will be against either fellow qualifier Alina Korneeva or 10th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in the third round. The Russian's victory adds another thrilling chapter to the underdog stories at this year's Australian Open, demonstrating the unpredictable nature of Grand Slam tennis.
(With inputs from AFP)
