Sunday 26 March 2017 15:07, UK
Indian Wells champion Elena Vesnina crashed out of the Miami Open on Friday, losing 3-6 6-4 7-5 to world No 594 Ajla Tomljanovic.
Vesnina, the world no 13, beat Svetlana Kunetsova to claim the title in the Californian desert last week and looked to be on course for a place in the third round until qualifier Tomljanovic rallied in their match which was held over from Thursday after a thunderstorm.
The Croatian wild card had levelled the match before edging 5-3 ahead in a tight third set before the weather intervened. Vesnina twice double-faulted to hand Tomljanovic her first match points but the 23-year-old saw her chances go begging.
More service problems for Vesnina in the 12th game led to a third match point, although the weather struck yet again, but when they returned after a brief shower Tomljanovic clinched one of the biggest wins of her career and a third round showdown with unseeded Czech Lucie Safarova.
Two other seeds fell earlier in the day, 25th seed Roberta Vinci went down in straight sets to 20-year-old world No 111 American Taylor Townsend and 24th seed Timea Babos was beaten by France's Pauline Parmentier.
Babos took the first set on a tie-break in her match against Parmentier but went on to win just two more games as the Frenchwoman wrapped up a 6-7 6-2 6-0 victory.
Much to the delight of the home crowd, Chicago-born Townsend coasted to one of the biggest victories of her career with a 6-3 6-2 success that sets up a meeting with Kutnetsova after the seventh seed proved too strong for Mandy Minella, coming through 6-2 6-2.
It's the first time Townsend will have played the former US and French Open champion and she is relishing the opportunity.
"I really like watching her play, she has won two Slams and is a great player who is playing some of her best tennis now. I am playing well. I've got four matches under my belt and I don't have anything to lose," Townsend said.
Another American advanced with Madison Keys booking her third round spot as she continues her return from injury as she beat Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic 6-1 6-2.
Third seed Simona Halep also had a tough test but eventually prevailed to see off fast-rising Japanese teenager Naomi Osaka in three sets 6-4 2-6 6-3, while current French Open champion and sixth seed Garbine Muguruza recovered from a set down to beat Christina McHale 0-6 7-6 6-4
