Perhaps a new American sensation is spreading her wings as Beatrice Capra upset No. 18 seed Aravane Rezai in the 2010 U.S. Open tournament today.
Playing in her Grand Slam debut as a wild-card entry, Capra is the youngest player left in the women’s field and the lowest-ranked, at 371. It took three sets, but the young American from Ellicott City, Md. pulled it out 7-5, 2-6, 6-3.
This is the first tour-level, main-draw event of Capra’s career. She knocked off 95th-ranked Karolina Sprem in the opening round 6-1, 6-3. Capra could face Maria Sharapova next.
Capra is even more of an outsider than Melanie Oudin was last year at the U.S. Open when, at age 17, Oudin beat Sharapova en route to the quarterfinals.
Rezai, of France, leaves the tournament with a disappointing showing, having twice reached the fourth round at major tournaments, including the U.S. Open in 2006 and the French Open in 2009.
