Australian Open 2025 results: Jodie Burrage secures emotional Melbourne win after lengthy injury struggles

British player Jodie Burrage was moved to tears after winning her first ever main draw match at the Australian Open, a victory that came just two months after she had considered quitting the sport. The 25-year-old secured the hard-fought win in Melbourne, defeating French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean 6-2, 6-4.

Burrage's career has been plagued by injuries, and she missed six months of play last year due to injury, leading her to contemplate retirement. She had felt lost regarding her fighting spirit, but her love for tennis ultimately drove her to persevere and achieve one of the most significant victories of her career. "Not retiring was the right decision," said Burrage, who is currently ranked 173rd in the world.

The reward for this victory is a second-round match against American third seed Coco Gauff. Burrage displayed considerable confidence with her powerful baseline strokes and strong first serve, proving too much for the 149th-ranked Jeanjean. The British No. 7 played aggressively, particularly with her forehand, hitting a total of 23 winners.

At the first match point, Burrage clinched the match with a fortunate net cord, immediately covering her face with her hands. The British fans in attendance erupted in cheers, while Burrage returned to her seat, crying into a towel. After the match, Burrage revealed that she was so nervous beforehand that she struggled to eat breakfast. She said, "All the emotions of the last nine months just came out. I knew I'd been playing well recently and I knew how big the opportunity was today. I know how hard I've worked in the last year."

Burrage had considered retirement due to a series of injuries as early as 2020, but she ultimately fought back and achieved the biggest success of her career. In 2023, she won her first Grand Slam match at Wimbledon and had a memorable experience appearing on Centre Court in the second round. Additionally, she won her first-round match at the US Open that same year. Her progress was again interrupted by injury when her career ranking reached a high of 84th.

In February of this year, she suffered a ruptured wrist tendon, requiring surgery, her fourth such procedure of her career. In April, as she was preparing to return to the court, she suffered another setback. While training with British No. 1 Katie Boulter, Burrage ruptured ankle ligaments, which, while not requiring surgery, sidelined her for another 10 weeks. After returning in low-level ITF Futures events, she broke down in tears during a practice session, questioning whether it was worth enduring so much pain. However, she ultimately persevered and became the first British player to win a singles match at this year's Australian Open.

British men’s No. 1 Jack Draper and the rapidly rising Scot Jacob Fearnley, who will play Nick Kyrgios, are set to play later on Monday. Harriet Dart, who lost in qualifying, was also granted a “lucky loser” spot after 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova withdrew due to injury, and will also participate in the tournament.