The U.S. Open started off with its first upset when unknown teenager Victoria Duval beat Samantha Stosur. But her personal story is even more applause-worthy. INSIDE EDITION has the details.
She's the Cinderella story at the U.S. Open, and the story behind Victoria Duval's stunning victory is just as compelling as her triumph on the tennis court.
Duval told a reporter, "This is the best I've played in my career, so I'm really excited!"
The seventeen-year-old who defeated former U.S. Open champ Samantha Stosur Tuesday night in a three-set thriller was especially happy because her dad was there to see it, and his story of survival is a true miracle.
It happened nearly three years ago, when Victoria was a promising junior player in Florida. Her dad, Dr. Jean-Maurice Duval, was operating a medical clinic in Haiti when disaster struck—a massive earthquake, killing or injuring more than half-a-million people.
Victoria's dad was buried under the rubble. Amazingly, he was able to phone his family.
Duval told a reporter, "He was under the house and he was sort of giving his last words to my mom to tell the kids I love them, and all that stuff."
Victoria's friend, Ashley Kitchen of Atlanta, said her parents spent $18,000 to find Victoria's dad in the rubble and airlift him to safety! And against all odds, it worked!
Dr. Duval's injuries left him with a paralyzed arm, but he used his other hand to high-five his loved ones as he was overjoyed by his daughter's amazing victory and the way she defied the odds to come out a winner.
