'A good decision not to quit' - Burrage secures emotional win

Australian Open 2025

Dates: 12-26 January Venue: Melbourne Park

Coverage: Live radio commentary on Tennis Breakfast from 07:00 GMT on BBC 5 Sports Extra, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website and app

Britain's Jodie Burrage cried "happy tears" after securing her first Australian Open main-draw victory - just two months after considering quitting the sport.

The 25-year-old claimed a a 6-2 6-4 success over French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean in Melbourne.

Burrage's career has been beset by injuries and, after missing six months last year, she contemplated retirement.

Burrage did not know "how much fight" she had left but persevered because of her love for the sport and has now delivered one of the finest wins of her career.

"It was a good decision [not to retire]," said world number 173 Burrage.

The reward is a high-profile match against American third seed Coco Gauff in the second round.

Meanwhile, Harriet Dart took advantage of her 'lucky loser' status with a battling win over Jana Fett in a first-round match lasting over three hours.

Why Burrage was close to quitting

With her powerful groundstrokes and strong first serve, Burrage had too many weapons for 149th-ranked Jeanjean in a performance which oozed confidence.

The British number seven played aggressively, doing particular damage with her forehand as she hit 23 winners.

After securing victory on her first match point with a huge net cord, Burrage instantly covered her face with her hands.

The British fans in the crowd roared their appreciation before Burrage returned to her chair and spent a few moments sobbing under a towel.

Burrage said afterwards she had struggled to eat breakfast because of pre-match nerves.

"All of those emotions from the last nine months I think were bottled up in there," she said.

"I think because I know I have been playing some good tennis, I know what such a good opportunity today was.

"I knew the hard work that went in for the last year."

Burrage first thought about quitting the sport in 2020 after a series of injuries, but fought back to enjoy the biggest successes of her career.

A maiden Grand Slam win came at Wimbledon in 2023 and led to an unforgettable appearance on Centre Court in the second round, while she also won in the first round of that year's US Open.

Burrage was sitting at a career-high 84th in the world when her progress was derailed again.

In February, she needed surgery on a snapped tendon in her wrist - the fourth operation of her career - and she suffered another blow in April when preparing to return to competitive action.

Burrage ruptured an ankle ligament in a practice session with British number one Katie Boulter and, although she did not require surgery, she missed another 10 weeks.

Having made her comeback on the lower-tier ITF Futures Tour, she broke down in tears during a training session and questioned whether it was worth the hardship.

However, she persevered, and has now become the first Briton to win in this year's Australian Open singles.

Jodie Burrage has won in the Australian Open main draw for the first time in her career

She was later joined by Dart, who saved two match points in a gutsy 7-5 2-6 7-6 (10-7) win over Croatian qualifier Fett.

Dart, 28, lost in qualifying but was placed as a lucky loser when 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova withdrew through injury earlier on Monday.

Both players struggled on serve in a deciding set which saw six straight breaks before Dart, where had her calf heavily strapped, got over the line.

The British number four, who face Croatian 18th seed Donna Vekic next, looked physically drained as she limped off court while using the net as support.

British men's number one Jack Draper and Jacob Fearnley, the rapid-rising Scot who faces Nick Kyrgios, play later.