Jodie Burrage cut an emotional figure after setting up a clash with Coco Gauff just months after contemplating retirement.
The British star was competing in the first round of the Australian Open where she faced French player Leolia Jeanjean.
Thankfully her 2025 got off to a better start than the previous year after securing a 6-2 6-4 win to advance to the second round where she’ll face American superstar Gauff.
Burrage endured a 2024 from hell after missing six months of the year through injury – a pattern that has plagued the 25-year-old’s career so far.
Having first thought about retiring in 2020, the British star needed surgery on a snapped tendon in her wrist last February, leading to a lengthy absence which led to her to consider hanging up her racket once again.
It meant that the victory over the French qualifier at the Australian Open meant a huge amount as she immediately covered her face after winning, before returning to her chair and sobbing under her towel.
“It was a good decision [not to retire],” Burrage, who had not been able to eat breakfast because of pre-match nerves, said.
“All of those emotions from the last nine months, I think, were bottled up in there.
“I think I was really nervous for this match, even last night.
“I think because I know I have been playing some good tennis, I know what a good opportunity today was.
“I knew the hard work that went in for the last year. Everything I did, all I was saying is, ‘I want to get to Australia, I know I’ll be good in Australia’.
“So I didn’t really want to let the opportunity go to waste today.
“I’m very happy that I managed to get over the line. I think I handled myself well throughout the match.
“Just at the end, it was always going to come out at some point. I’m just very, very happy.
“It was definitely up there with one of the best wins of my career.”
Burrage will face third seed Gauff on Wednesday, January 15 for a spot in the third round of the tournament.
Victory over the American would see Burrage surpass her previous best at a grand slam where she reached the second round at both Wimbledon and the US Open back in 2023.
But facing the 2023 US Open champion in Gauff, Burrage knows that she’s facing a huge test.
