Australian Open: “Lucky loser” Bernarda Pera comes up with a stunning upset

American “lucky loser” Bernarda Pera defeated ninth-seeded Johanna Konta 6-4, 7-5 on Thursday in the second round of the women’s draw at the Australian Open.

Also advancing to the women’s third round were Madison Keys of the U.S. and Maria Sharapova of Russia. Novak Djokovic of Serbia moved on in the men’s competition.

Pera, ranked No. 123, lost in the final round of qualifying and didn’t get into the main draw until Monday, when Russia’s Margarita Gasparyan withdrew because of an injury. The 23-year-old Pera is making her Grand Slam debut.

Konta, from Britain and a former Australian Open semifinalist, saved three match points in the ninth game of the second set then broke Pera to tie the set 5-5. The American finally closed out the match on her fifth match point.

“It feels amazing. I was ready to leave on Monday and then they told me I’m in, so I was obviously excited,” Pera said. “I was checking the tickets to fly back. I’m happy I didn’t buy one.”

Pera was born in Croatia and moved to the U.S. when she was 16, deciding to represent the U.S. She is one of only four American women to reach the second round — the fewest since 2011.

Konta ended last season on a four-match losing streak, including a first-round loss at the U.S. Open, while dealing with a foot injury. She retired from a match at the season-opening Brisbane International because of a hip injury.

Keys won the first 11 games and beat Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia 6-0, 6-1 in a 41-minute match. The 17th-seeded Keys served five aces in six attempts to open the match.

Sharapova advanced with a 6-1, 7-6 (4) victory over 14th-seeded Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia as the temperatures began to rise.

“It’s a warm day. I did my job in two sets against someone that’s been troubling in the past for me,” Sharapova said.

With a forecast high of 102 degrees, Sharapova appeared to be in a hurry to get off the court, winning the first set in 23 minutes.

In the second set, Sharapova was broken while serving for the match, sending it to the tiebreaker, which she dominated.

Djokovic, a six-time Australian Open champion, rallied to beat Gael Monfils of France 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3. It was Djokovic’s 15th consecutive victory over Monfils.

It wasn’t a good second round for American men, as 13th-seeded Sam Querrey, qualifier Denis Kudla and wild-card entry Tim Smyczek were knocked out.

Querrey was defeated 6-4, 7-6 (6), 4-6, 6-2 by 80th-ranked Marton Fucsovics of Hungary. He was one of 10 American players, men and women, to reach the second round from the 32 who started the main draws, the lowest number of Americans through to the second round in Melbourne since seven advanced in 2011.

Kudla, ranked 190th, lost 6-7 (6), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 to fifth-seeded Dominic Thiem of Austria and Smyczek fell 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (2) to 21st-seeded Albert Ramos Vinolas of Spain.