Image via Sports Illustrated
First round of the US Open 17 year old Victoria Duval, ranked no. 296, defeated the 2011 champion Sam Stosur. After a few frustrating match points Duval secured the match 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 winning her first grand slam match; this being only the second grand slam she has participated in. Throughout the match her power and finesse on the court was undeniable, but as soon as she hit her game winning shot her little girl charm was exposed as she leapt into the air in celebration. The contrast between her tough performance as a professional tennis player on court, and her meek and charming demeanor in her post game interview was endearing. Her timid voice and loss for words post game revealed that despite her remarkable performance and talent in the sport, she is still a 17 year old girl who just won the biggest match of her career.
Image via Business Insider
Upon her win Duval’s friends and family were seen erupting into high fives and hugs in celebration. For many players, having friends and family present to witness a victory is very special, but for Victoria, it means even more. Duval was born in Florida, but raised in Haiti. As a young child she experienced a terrifying situation in which her and her cousins were taken hostage by robbers. However, this wasn’t the last of the trying situations for her family. In 2010 Duval’s father was trapped under rubble for nearly 12 hours after a massive earthquake hit the island of Haiti. He survived with two broken legs, which made Victoria even more grateful for him to be able to witness her first grand slam victory in person. “There’s a lot to be thankful for… I don’t take anything for granted. You never know what can happen any day. My dad’s fortunate to be here. … I thank God every day for everything that’s happened. Life is short.” These words were delivered by a timid voice, but have a strong presence.
Duval’s match winning point, and endearing post game interview.
In her second round match Duval lost to Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 6-3; an undeniable dominance by Hantuchova. However, with Victoria Duval’s first grand slam match win she has gained much exposure, and the media’s attention. Duval mentioned that Billie Jean King, a former world No. 1 professional tennis player who changed equality in the world of sports for women, was a mentor and even sent her a good luck text before that first match. Even Lil Wayne tweeted about Duval, although she heard this news from others, attributed to the fact that she doesn’t yet have a twitter account. It’s safe to say that the media will be keeping close tabs on Duval, in hopes that they have found the Next Big Thing. Despite her short exposure in this year’s US Open tournament, Victoria Duval is an up and coming player to keep your eyes on in the tennis world, and doing so shouldn’t be to difficult with her future wins sure to be at the forefront of media coverage.
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