Australian Open: Jodie Burrage to face Coco Gauff while Iga Swiatek delivers unconvincing win in Melbourne

Jodie Burrage let the tears flow after what she rated as one of the best wins of her career at the Australian Open.

The 25-year-old Briton admitted ahead of the tournament that she considered quitting the sport a couple of months ago, but she tasted victory in the main draw at Melbourne Park for the first time with a 6-2 6-4 success against French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean.

After her final forehand dribbled over the net, Burrage covered her face with her hands as the emotion of the moment caught up with her before sobbing into her towel.

It was her first match at a Grand Slam since a first-round defeat here last year, with Burrage suffering a wrist injury in February that needed surgery before rupturing an ankle ligament just as she was about to make her comeback.

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"I think I was really nervous for this match, even last night," said a beaming Burrage, who faces a formidable challenge next against third seed Coco Gauff.

"I have not had that in a while. 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. All of those emotions from the last nine months I think were bottled up in there.

"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."

She missed the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open last year and was at her lowest moment as she tried to work her way back up the rankings at lower-tier events during the autumn.

But a title in Dubai, the biggest of her career, to end the season gave her a huge boost and Burrage produced a fluent display against Jeanjean for just her third victory at a Grand Slam.

She used her powerful groundstrokes and serve to good effect and did not face a break point throughout the 73-minute contest.

While Burrage relished the occasion after everything she has been through, she admitted she could barely eat breakfast because she was so nervous.

Next up, the world No 173 must try to get the better of Gauff, who arrived in Melbourne as the most in-form player on tour.

The 2023 US Open winner, knocked out compatriot and former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin with a 6-3 6-3 win.

"It will 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 spot to the last time I played her."

Gauff finished last season by winning the WTA Finals and kicked off this year helping the United States claim the United Cup trophy, where her victories included one against Iga Swiatek.

Epic win for lucky loser Dart

Harriet Dart battled through injury and cramp to book her spot in the second round in gruelling fashion.

The British No 4 lost in the final round of qualifying, but was given a lucky loser spot on Monday morning after former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova withdrew.

Dart was thrust virtually straight into a clash with Croatian qualifier Jana Fett and, after three hours and 14 minutes, she hobbled her way to a 7-5 2-6 7-6 (10-7) victory.

She will now try to recover in time for a second-round clash with 18th seed Donna Vekic on Wednesday.

"I'm a little bit tired, for sure," said Dart. "Yesterday was a really long day. Here all day, never really know what's going to happen with being the first lucky loser.

"Today I got here pretty early, practised, was fortunate enough to be able to play. When you get a chance, you really want to take it, and I was just really happy to get over the line today."

Unconvincing win for Swiatek | Osaka wins in Melbourne for first time since 2022

World No 2 Swiatek advanced to the second round with an unconvincing 6-3 6-4 win against Katerina Siniakova on John Cain Arena.

Swiatek struggled to find the deliberate rhythm that has helped win her five Grand Slam titles as her Czech opponent, a doubles specialist, put up some stiff resistance.

"For sure it wasn't an easy first round so I'm happy I got through," said the 23-year-old Pole.

"I felt like she was playing really well and I knew I needed to be more proactive and I was that way (in the end)."

Swiatek, whose best performance on the Australian Open's hardcourts was a semi-final loss to American Danielle Collins in 2022, will play Rebecca Sramkova of Slovakia next.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka defeated Caroline Garcia 6-3 3-6 6-3, avenging her defeat by the Frenchwoman in last year's first round.

It was Osaka's first Australian Open win since 2022, and she will next face Karolina Muchova.

Seventh seed Jessica Pegula took exactly an hour to beat young Australian wild card Maya Joint 6-3 6-0, while there was a triumphant return to grand slam tennis for former Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic.

The Swiss gave birth to daughter Bella in April and missed all four major tournaments last year, but Bencic wasted no time making her mark again, defeating 16th seed Jelena Ostapenko 6-3 7-6 (8-6).

There was also defeat for two-time former champion Victoria Azarenka, who lost 6-2 7-6 (7-2) to Italy's Lucia Bronzetti.

American 10th seed Danielle Collins sealed her place in the second round with a 7-6 (4) 6-3 victory over qualifier Daria Snigur of Ukraine in about one and half hours. She will meet Australian Destanee Aiava next.

Messages to Los Angeles

Gauff and Swiatek used their first-round victories to send messages of support to California amid the devastating wildfires.

American Gauff wrote 'Stay strong LA. Thank you firefighters' on the camera lens after her 6-3 6-3 victory over Sofia Kenin, while Swiatek put 'Sending my love to Malibu and LA'.

Huge amounts of damage has already been caused around Los Angeles and lives lost, with the threat of more to come.

What's coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?

• ABN AMRO Open Rotterdam (ATP 500) - 3-9 February
• Dallas Open (ATP 500) - 3-9 February
• Delray Beach Open (ATP 250) - 10-16 February
• IEB+ Argentina Open (ATP 250) - 10-16 February
• 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
• Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships (WTA 1000) - 16-22 February

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