Jodie Burrage has reached the second round of Wimbledon for the first time after an impressive and emotional victory over Caty McNally.
The British No2 appears to have put a string of injury woes behind her and brushed her American counterpart aside 6-1 in the first set on Court 3.
The 24-year-old was pushed harder in the second set by McNally, who is ranked 67th in the world, 41 places above British hope. However, Burrage held her serve well throughout the match and wrapped up the second set 6-3.
Having endured back-to-back first-round exits in 2021 and 2022, Burrage can look forward to a second-round match at a Grand Slam for the first time in her career.
Wildcard Burrage will face Russian 11th seed Daria Kasatkina in the second round.
After sealing victory on her sixth match point, Burrage said: “I’m shaking like you can’t believe.”
“That one meant a lot”, she admitted, welling up. “I played some really good tennis. I’m glad I came through some tough times.
“It hasn’t been easy. Three ankle surgeries, fractured knee, stress fracture arm, stress fracture rib — I can keep going and going. But I feel in a really good place. I’m just waiting for my run to happen and hopefully this is the start of it.”
Earlier on day one of the Championships, British No4 seed Harriet Dart was knocked out by French 20-year-old Diane Parry in three sets.
