World number two Naomi Osaka’s 23-match winning run came to an abrupt end as she lost 6-0 6-4 to Maria Sakkari in the Miami Open quarter-finals.
Japan’s Osaka was stunned by the Greek 23rd seed’s aggressive start, making 12 unforced errors and not landing one winner in a 21-minute opening set.
Osaka, 23, hid under a towel as she tried to compose herself and fought back to lead 3-0 in the second set.
But Sakkari, from 4-1 down, broke twice to win five games in a row for victory.
Sakkari, 25, celebrated with a loud roar as she earned the biggest win of her career, triumphantly hugging her team after beating a player ranked in the world’s top three for the first time.
The world number 25 will play Canadian eighth seed Bianca Andreescu in the last four, after she beat unseeded Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-4 3-6 6-3.
Osaka’s defeat means she will not be able to regain the world number one ranking from Australia’s Ashleigh Barty, who faces Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in the other semi-final.
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