Australian Open: Jodie Burrage vs Coco Gauff as Iga Swiatek unconvincingly wins in Melbourne | Tennis news
Jodie Burrage broke down in tears after what she described as one of the best wins of her career at the Australian Open.
The 25-year-old admitted before the tournament that she had considered quitting the sport months ago, but she tasted main draw victory for the first time at Melbourne Park with a 6-2 6-4 success against French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean.
After her final forehand dribbled over the net, Burrage covered her face in her hands as the emotion of the moment caught up with her before sobbing into her towel.
It was her first Grand Slam match since losing in the first round last year, and Burrage suffered a wrist injury in February that required surgery before rupturing an ankle ligament just as she was preparing to return.
“I think I was really nervous going into this match, even last night,” said a beaming Burrage, who next faces a big challenge against the third seed Coco Gauff.
“I haven’t had that in a while. I mean, because I know I played good tennis, I know what a good opportunity it was today. I knew how hard it was last year. All those emotions from the last nine months I think were locked up there.
“Everything I did, everything I said was, ‘I want to go to Australia, I know I’m going to be good in Australia’. So I didn’t want to let the opportunity go to waste today. I’m very happy to get over the line, I think I carried well throughout the match.
“Just in the end, it was always going to come out at some point. I’m just really, really happy. It was definitely one of the best wins of my career.”
She missed the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open last year and was at her lowest point as she tried to climb back up the rankings at lower-tier tournaments during the fall.
But a season-ending title in Dubai, the biggest of her career, gave her a huge boost and Burrage produced a fluent game against Jeanjean for just her third Grand Slam win.
She used her strong groundstrokes and serves to good effect and did not face a break point during the 73-minute contest.
While Burrage enjoyed the occasion after all she had been through, she admitted she could barely eat breakfast because she was so nervous.
Next, the world number 173 must try to overcome Gauff, who arrived in Melbourne as the most in-form player on the tour.
The 2023 US Open winner knocked out compatriot and former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin with a 6-3 6-3 victory.
“It’s going to be fun,” said Burrage, who won just two games in their only previous meeting at Eastbourne in 2023.
“I’m going to take it to her, see if I can get more games than last time, which wasn’t very many. I feel like I’m in a different place than the last time I played her.”
Gauff ended last season with a win at the WTA Finals and began this season by helping the United States win the United Cup trophy, where her victory included one against Iga Swiatek.
Unconvincing victory for Swiatek
World No. 2 Swiatek advanced to the second round with an unconvincing 6-3 6-4 win against Katerina Siniakova at the John Cain Arena.
Swiatek struggled to find the calculated rhythm that has helped her win five Grand Slam titles as her Czech opponent, a doubles specialist, put up stiff resistance.
“The first round was certainly not easy, so I’m happy that I passed,” said the 23-year-old Pole.
“I felt he was playing really well and I knew I had to be more proactive and I (ended up) being that.”
Swiatek, whose best Australian Open hard court performance was a semi-final loss to American Danielle Collins in 2022, will next play Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova.
What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?
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- Delray Beach Open (ATP 250) – 10.-16. February
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- Open 13 Provence (ATP 250) – 10.-16. February
- Transylvania Open (WTA 250) – 3.-9. February
- Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open (WTA 500) – 3.-8. February
- Qatar TotalEnergies Open (WTA 1000) – 9.-15. February
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