By Ian Ransom
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Coco Gauff made heavy weather of British battler Jodie Burrage before claiming a 6-3 7-5 win to reach the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday.
Leading 3-1 in the second set and seemingly cruising to victory, the American third seed was dragged into a streetfight by the plucky Burrage who began swinging for the fences at a floodlit Rod Laver Arena.
Burrage broke Gauff twice to bring the crowd to her corner, winning four games in succession to earn the chance to serve for the set.
But the 25-year-old Londoner blew the chance, double-faulting to drop serve twice in succession and allowing Gauff to close out the match.
“It was tough. She was serving really well, so I was just trying to manage that, honestly,” said Gauff.
“She really stepped her level up in the middle of the second set so I was just trying to be offensive as much as I could.”
It was Gauff’s second straights sets win at the tournament after a first round test against 2020 champion Sofia Kenin.
She set up an intriguing duel against former U.S. Open finalist Leylah Fernandez for a place in the fourth round.
For Burrage, it was a tough ending after an encouraging first-up win over French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean.
Playing with a protected ranking of 85, Burrage shed happy tears when she beat Jeanjean in the first round, having considered quitting last year after missing half the season with wrist and ankle injuries.
But after her near-miss against Gauff, she trudged off with dry-eyed resignation.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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