Day Four of the Australian Open 2009 will long be remembered as the day Carla Suarez Navarro burst onto the scene. In a true David and Goliath upset, Spain’s 5’ 4” 20 year old relative newcomer stunned the Rod Laver Arena and the tennis world by knocking out the heavily favored 6’1” American stalwart Venus Williams in a compelling match featuring a remarkable 3rd set comeback. Trailing 2-5 in the third, the spunky Suarez Navarro rattled off five consecutive games to emblazon her name on one of the biggest upsets in Women’s Tennis and clearly the biggest upset of this year’s first Grand Slam Tournament.

After Williams failed to serve out the set at 2-5, the crowd rallied behind the gutsy Spaniard whose game is well suited for the slower Laver courts. Suarez Navarro’s serve rarely topped 80 mph while Williams consistently poured in 100 mph serves. The fleet Spaniard covered the court well and used elongated ground strokes to keep Williams behind the baseline and scrambling to make shots.

Williams cruised through a quick first set, winning 6-2. When she lost her first service game of the second set, her concentration seemed to waiver. Suarez Navarro seized the opportunity and was relentless in claiming the set 6-3. Suarez Navarro registered only one ace in the match but her soft serve seemed to crowd Williams whose returns were less than intimidating and paved the way to long rallies.

Suarez Navarro, whose professional career includes a 16-16 won-lost record and who is playing in her first Australian Open, declined interviews after her memorable performance. The player’s resumes could not be more different. Williams has more than $22,000,000 in winnings and a career 497 – 120 won-lost record, while Carla’s career earnings amount to $350,000. The stocky Spaniard never seemed awed by Williams, winner of seven Grand Slam Singles Titles. After her first set jitters, she came out swinging in the second set.

Continually hitting power backhand after power backhand, Carla had 15 fewer unforced errors than Venus. Total points won in the match were 89 to 88. Both players had five double faults. Navarro only had 6 break point opportunities, but she capitalized on four of those chances.

Suarez Navarro will try to continue her streak against another Spaniard, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in round three. Martinez Sanchez wasted no time disposing of Uzbekistan’s 6’ 3” Akgul Amanmuradova 6-2, 6-4. Bookmakers have installed Suarez Navarro as the favorite, a rare role for the 20 year old.

One Williams still remains in the lower half of the draw. Number 2 seed Serena is paired with her sister, Venus, in the Women’s doubles. They are a formidable team. But, Serena has hopes for the Margaret Smith Court singles trophy. Like her sister, Serena started fast in round two. She cruised past Argentina’s revived Gisela Dulko 6-3 in the first set. Dulko has been adopted by the Melbourne crowds and fought hard in the second set before succumbing 7-5. Serena Williams will next play China’s Shuai Peng who defeated Bulgaria’s Sesil Karatantcheva 6-4, 6-0.

Tournament seeds are on notice that the up and coming youngsters arrived in Melbourne ready to challenge. 4th seeded Elena Dementieva of Russia had a first set scare from svelte left-hander Iveta Benevesova and then marched to a 6-4, 6-1 win. Her serve seemed to stabilize as the match unwound. Dementieva, who seemed slow afoot and tentative in round one, consistently served over 100 mph. With Venus Williams out, Elena looks poised to have a run at the semifinal berth across from the heavily favored Serena.

Elena will have her hands full in the third round. All of Melbourne will be behind Australian improving star Samantha Stosur who showed no nerves in an impressive 6-3, 6-4 win over German Sabine Lisicki. Stosur is more fit than at any time of her career and will press Elena in round three.

France’s Amelie Mauresmo, the 20th seed, had difficulty with Britain’s Elena Baltacha. Mauresmo overcame some shoddy ground strokes and Baltacha’s aggressive play to register a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory. She will next play 13th seed Victoria Azarenka whose opponent Tathiana Garbin was forced to retire.

Unlike the Williams sisters, the Bondarenkos of Ukarine kept marching along. 31 seed Alona will play 8th seeded Svetiana Kuznetsova, while unseeded Kateryna Bondarenko will play Lourdes Dominguez in round three. If both sisters win, they will meet each other in the round of 16. The Bondarenkos are also a good doubles team.

With three rounds complete, Melbourne continues to provide upsets and stirring tennis. The slower courts are extending matches and creating some conditioning issues. Many matches have been delayed for medical conditioning, but as always, the strong and determined will survive in Melbourne.