Half of the women’s seeds have now fallen but Australian wildcard Jarmila Gajdosova stood tall at the Brisbane International on Monday.
Fourth-seeded Slovak Dominika Cibulkova was upset by American teenager Madison Keys 7-5 6-2 in the first round while No.8 Garbine Muguruza (ankle) of Spain withdrew.
However, comeback kid Gajdosova was all smiles after booking a second round showdown with Serbian glamour girl and second seed Ana Ivanovic by ousting China’s Shuai Zhang 6-4 6-1.
And locals claimed budding Aussie Daria Gavrilova after the qualifier defeated American Alison Riske 7-5 6-3 in their first round clash.
It is another confident step on the comeback trail for former world No.25 Gajdosova.
The 27-year-old’s ranking plummeted to 334 as she battled glandular fever last year and still came to grips with her mother’s death in 2012.
But the resurgent Gajdosova now sits at No.70 after extending a remarkable 29-9 run in 2014, including wins at ITF events in Nottingham and Vancouver.
She was nominated for the 2014 WTA comeback player of the year.
She has her eyes on a bigger prize though after ousting 61st-ranked Zhang in straight sets – former world No.1 Ivanovic.
Earlier, 2014 Australian Open runner-up Cibulkova and world No.20 Muguruza became the latest women’s seeds to fall, joining Sunday scalps Andrea Petkovic (fifth) and former world No.1 Jelena Jankovic (sixth).
World No.11 Cibulkova, 25, had no answer for the 19-year-old Keys who booked a second round clash on her Brisbane debut with compatriot Varvaro Lepchenko – Sam Stosur’s surprise first round conqueror.
Muguruza withdrew from Monday’s first round clash with American Bethanie Mattek-Sands and was replaced by lucky loser Alla Kudryavtseva of Russia.
World No.231 Gavrilova shocked Riske – ranked 88 places higher than the Russian – to extend her dream run in Brisbane.
Gavrilova – the partner of ex-world junior No.1 Luke Saville – will represent Australia at grand slam events but flies the Russian flag at WTA tournaments until she officially changes allegiances after gaining residency.
Gavrilova set up a potential second round clash with third seed Angelique Kerber.
