Stat of the Day: Magda Linette upsets Azarenka in Miami for 10th career win over a Top 20 player

On Monday, Magda Linette made her Top 20 debut. Now, five days later, she hits another milestone: her 10th career win over a Top 20 player.

Linette scored a 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-4 victory over No. 16-ranked Victoria Azarenka in the third round of Miami on Saturday in a match that had all kinds of twists and turns—Azarenka originally led 5-3 in the first set, then Linette bounced back to take the set in a tie-break and go up 2-0 in the second set, then Azarenka bounced back with eight games in a row to completely run away with the second set and go up 2-0 in the third.

But Linette pulled off the final twist, winning four games in a row of her own to go up 4-2 in the decider, and the two held serve from there until the Pole had the victory over the three-time Miami Open champion.

Beating Top 20 players has become a habit for Linette as of late—over the last 12 months she has an impressive 7-4 record against them:

LINETTE VS TOP 20 PLAYERS OVER THE LAST YEAR (7-4):

• d. No. 19 Fernandez in 2022 Charleston 2nd Rd, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
• d. No. 6 Jabeur in 2022 Roland Garros 1st Rd, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5
• l. to No. 19 Kerber in 2022 Wimbledon 2nd Rd, 6-3, 6-3
• l. to No. 15 Keys in 2022 Guadalajara 1st Rd, 6-3, 6-3
• d. No. 11 Keys in 2022 Billie Jean King Cup Finals, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
• l. to No. 11 Keys in 2023 United Cup SFs, 6-4, 6-2
• d. No. 19 Kontaveit in 2023 Australian Open 2nd Rd, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
• d. No. 18 Alexandrova in 2023 Australian Open 3rd Rd, 6-3, 6-4
• d. No. 4 Garcia in 2023 Australian Open 4th Rd, 7-6 (3), 6-4
• l. to No. 5 Sabalenka in 2023 Australian Open SFs, 7-6 (1), 6-2
• d. No. 16 Azarenka in 2023 Miami 3rd Rd, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-4

In addition to the seven Top 20 wins listed above, Linette had three previous ones against a No. 17-ranked Naomi Osaka (2018 Washington DC 2nd Rd), a No. 1-ranked Ashleigh Barty (2021 Roland Garros 2nd Rd) and a No. 5-ranked Elina Svitolina (2021 Wimbledon 2nd Rd).