With a thunderous serving display, Hon stunned world No.20 Liudmila Samsonova 4-6 6-3 6-2 to sweep into the last 32 of the US Open in New York.
Fittingly, the 26-year-old finished off the highly rated Russian with her 17th and 18th aces of the match on a packed Court No.10 at Flushing Meadows.
As fellow Australian Jordan Thompson crashed out on day four, Hon gleefully signed autographs and posed for selfies after securing a career pay day of at least $US237,000 and a rankings leap towards the cusp of the world's top 100 for the first time.
"Honestly, it's been a roller-coaster of emotions," Hon said.
"I've tried to keep a lid on it. Even after qualifying and winning my first round, I was like this is good but I don't feel too up.
"I don't know if that makes sense, but whenever I let myself feel a little bit too much, I almost don't perform the next round.
"So I was trying to keep a lid on it. I want to be winning matches. I don't want to just be qualifying.
"But I'm glad I get to enjoy it for a day. The emotions actually sunk in and hit me. There were a couple of tears when I was hugging."
Samsonova was a Wimbledon quarter-finalist just last month, only stopped by eventual champion Iga Swiatek.
The 26-year-old wiped out Australia's top two women's players, Daria Kasatkina and Maya Joint, en route to the last eight at the All England Club.
Other big scalps on Samsonova's CV this year include four-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka, Wimbledon finalist Amanda Animisova, world No.4 Jessica Pegula and Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Belinda Bencic.
But she couldn't deny Hon on Wednesday night (Thursday AEST).
As Hon stayed firm, the winner of five WTA Tour titles capitulated in a sea of unforced errors, including seven double-faults.
Hon next plays 16th-seeded Bencic for an improbable spot in the last 16.
"I don't want to think of it as, 'All right, I'm done now'. Obviously it's good, but I want to go into the next round," the 27-year-old said.
The Open is over, though, for Thompson, who could not match his charge to the fourth round last year and in 2020.
A frustrated Thompson received a code violation for racquet abuse in his 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-3 second-round loss to Frenchman Adrian Mannarino.
World No.8 Alex de Minaur, plus Alexei Popyrin up against top-seeded titleholder Jannik Sinner, Adam Walton, Tristan Schoolkate and Kasatakina will all bid to join Hon in the last 32 on Thursday (Friday AEST).
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