NEW YORK — Julie Coin was not quite so anonymous that she came right out of the stands in Arthur Ashe Stadium to upset top-seeded Ana Ivanovic yesterday at the U.S. Open, but she was not that far off.
When Coin, a French qualifier ranked No. 188, defeated Ana Ivanovic 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in the U.S. Open second round yesterday, she became the lowest-ranked player to defeat a world No. 1 since computer rankings were introduced in 1975. It was the first time in the post-1968 modern era that the top woman at the event has gone out before the third round.
Ivanovic injured her thumb after Wimbledon and had only played two matches since June entering Flushing Meadows.
Coin, who had never before played in a Grand Slam or regular tour event, was not so naive as to not recognize that she had defeated a diminished opponent.
"She made a lot of errors from both sides, but more on her forehand," said the 25-year-old from Amiens about Ivanovic. "I don't think she moved too well, either."
Ivanovic was very erratic in the critical last few games, alternately blasting her forehand with the effectiveness that earned her this year's French Open title or misfiring badly as she did on the third match point when it sailed wide.
"I had lots of miss-hits on my forehand," Ivanovic said. "I think it shows a little bit lack of practice and lack of confidence in that area."
As much as Ivanovic played with a lack of conviction, Coin was impressive for someone who was playing in tennis's largest arena (23,733 capacity), especially on short notice because she and Ivanovic were originally scheduled for Louis Armstrong Stadium.
"She played completely different than I expected," Ivanovic said. "She was serving extremely well and hitting very powerful shots.
"Obviously, it's very frustrating, because I know I can play so much better. This was a very disappointing loss for me, but it's something I have to accept, especially with everything that has happened the last two months."
Coin, straight from central casting as a journeywoman player, was totally charming after the match. She told her story: that she recently thought about quitting tennis at the end of the year; that she has never done better than break even for money; recently lost financial aid from her hometown because she decided not to play a lowly event there; and the fact that she attended Clemson University in South Carolina for three years. At Clemson, she joked, she learned to detest the rival University of South Carolina and to appreciate the Clemson Tigers football team.
"The atmosphere was great, especially at the end," Coin said about yesterday's match. "At the beginning, the crowd was kind of asleep but at the end I had the feeling that, strangely, they were more for me than Ivanovic."
Describing the locker room after the match, she said with a touch of humour and realism that undoubtedly comes from years of battling in tennis's minor leagues, "Everyone was congratulating me. Some of them [players] were a little too happy, probably because they hope to be able to get the No. 1 ranking now."
Coin, who reached the final of a $50,000 event in Vancouver earlier this month, is from the same Picardie region as French superstar Amélie Mauresmo. The two-time Grand Slam champion, four years older at 29, had a vague recollection of Coin. "My coach mentioned that she [Coin] was from our region and I told him I thought I knew she was," Mauresmo said yesterday. "This morning our paths crossed when I got here and I said to her, 'are you the one that I'm not sure I recognize?' And she said she was."
They will now meet in tomorrow's third round. Looking ahead, the No. 29-ranked Mauresmo said, "It will be a special match. For her, there's the dynamic of adrenalin and the emotions of such a great victory. And for me it's a quest to get back to my best level and put a few good matches together. We are really on two different career trajectories."
When told that it was Coin's first WTA Tour event and first Grand Slam, a surprised Mauresmo said, "Really. That's a beautiful story."
With a hearty laugh, she continued, "I hope it's about to end."
