Rogers Cup 2018: Abanda bests Flipkens in first-round upset

Rudi Schuller

Rogers Cup 2018: Abanda bests Flipkens in first-round upset image

Before Tuesday, Françoise Abanda hadn't won a match in the main draw of a WTA Tour event since September 2017.

That changed when Abanda, playing in her hometown of Montreal, defeated Belgium's Kirtsen Flipkens 6-3, 6-2 in the Round of 64 at the Rogers Cup.

Ranked 191st in the world, it seems all Abanda needed was some home cooking to get back in the win column. The 21-year-old served three aces and won six break points in her straight-sets victory, toppling World No. 47 Flipkens in a match that saw Abanda dominate every statistical category despite the lopsided nature of the players' respective rankings.

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The win earns Abanda a spot in the Round of 32, where she'll meet third-ranked Sloane Stephens on Wednesday.

Rudi Schuller