By Tony Fairbairn
- Coco Gauff [2] def Jodie Burrage [PR] 6-3 7-5
- Donna Vekic [18] def Harriet Dart [LL] 4-6 6-0 6-2
- Jodie Burrage has looked on the positives after her impressive performance against Coco Gauff
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Jodie Burrage has said that she is ‘only just getting started’ after her resilient Australian Open exit to Coco Gauff.
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A resilient performance from Jodie Burrage on Rod Laver Arena as she was edged out in straight sets against third seed Coco Gauff.
The Brit displayed her power and aggression early, displaying a clear message of fearlessness from the first ball.
However, most of those shots resulted in errors as Gauff weathered the early storm to take a 3-0 lead.
Eventually Burrage would be rewarded for her brave play as she would break back in the fifth game but the Brit didn’t have the consistency to keep her high level of play as the American won three of the next four games to claim the opening set.
In the second set Gauff continued her electric form while also frustrating Burrage as she broke in the opening game before taking a 3-1 lead.
At that point the writing was on the wall but Burrage had other plans as she unleased the forehand and played some entertaining rallies especially at the net.
There was no answer from Gauff as she was helpless to Burrage’s incredibly aggressive tennis as four games in a row secured a 5-3 lead for Burrage with the Brit serving for the second set.
Having worked so hard to be in a winning position, Burrage gave it away rather cheaply as the nerves got the better of her.
Too many double faults and errors gave the world number three confidence and Burrage lost the next four games with Gauff sealing her place in the third round.
Burrage wasn’t the only Brit exit on day four as Harriet Dart’s journey came to an end with a three set defeat to 18th seed Donna Vekic.
The lucky loser played some impressive tennis to take the opening set 6-4 before running out of energy in the second set with Vekic winning all six games.
In the final set Dart took an early break of serve for a 2-1 lead but failed to capitalize on the lead with the Wimbledon semi-finalist winning five games in a row to secure a place in the third round.
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Burrage ‘just getting started’ after impressive Gauff performance
It was a courageous and bold performance from Burrage who took the match to the former US Open champion but ultimately ended up second best.
The Brit served for the second set and that will be a massive positive for Burrage as she approaches the rest of the season.
Speaking after the match Burrage admitted she will take a lot of confidence from the match and had no regrets from the match.
“I’m going to take a lot of confidence from the fact that she’s No 3 in the world,” Burrage told The Guardian.
“I felt like I didn’t have a great start. Then I got myself back into it. The game that she broke me, I gave it to her a little bit with those volley [errors]. I’m there with her and I felt like I was in that. I really felt like I should have taken that second. I feel like it would have been interesting to see a third set to see if I could carry that on.
“I’m just starting back from my injury layoff so I think it’s really positive. I’ve got to see it like that because if you had said this to me three, four months ago I would have taken it for sure, both hands. A lot of things that I could have improved, but also a lot of confidence taken from it.
“But this is the level that I want to be playing and this is the level that I think I can be playing. It’s the start of the year. We are three weeks in and I feel like I’m in a good spot. So as long as I can stay on the court, I’m excited to see what this year brings.”
An exciting year awaits Burrage as the Brit has proven both on ITF level and on the main tour what she is capable of when she brings her best level.
Given this was Burrage’s first Grand Slam tournament in over a year, the Brit can take pride from her performance in Melbourne as she will enter the world’s top 150 after the tournament.
Ahead of the rest of the season, Burrage has admitted she is ‘only just getting started.’
“I will take the highs and the lows of this sport, but I’m not done with it yet. I feel like I’m only just getting started,” Burrage stated to The Guardian.
“I’ve just got to keep working hard and then that showed in my level the last few weeks. Really understanding the work that I put in and what I have to do, that’s what I have taken.
“Again, learning from being around these big players as well, seeing them in the gym, on the practice court. But I’m just very, very happy with how I’ve handled myself, my emotions and the level that I’ve managed to put out on the court so early in my return from my injury.”
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