Australian Open 2025 results: Jodie Burrage loses to Coco Gauff in Melbourne second round

British number seven Jodie Burrage gave a good account of herself against Coco Gauff but was unable to cause a seismic shock as she exited the Australian Open in the second round.

Burrage, 25, lost 6-3 7-5 to the American third seed in Wednesday’s night session at Rod Laver Arena.

Burrage, ranked 173rd in the world, had the chance to take the match to a decider when she served for the second set at 5-3.

But a poor service game that ended with a double fault on the first of two break points allowed Gauff to restore his authority.

Even if she doesn’t take advantage of her opportunity to win at least one set against one of the world’s best, Burrage can proudly reflect on how she has revived her career.

Burrage has been plagued by injuries and, after missing another six months last year, considered retirement.

Wrist and ankle injuries meant Burrage didn’t know “how much fight” she had left.

But she persevered because of her love for the sport and produced one of the finest victories of her career against French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean in Melbourne’s first round.

The reward was meeting 2023 US Open champion Gauff on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

While earlier appearances on Wimbledon’s Center Court and the US Open’s Louis Armstrong Stadium were chastening, Burrage settled well against the 20-year-old after another slow start.

The Englishman showed courage to fight back from a break down in the second set and won four consecutive games, but broke when the unlikely chance to force a decider presented itself.

Gauff’s relief at winning in two sets was illustrated by the message she wrote on the camera lens on the court afterward: “Digging deep.”

Speaking in her court interview moments later, she added: “It was tough, she was serving really well so I was just trying to cope.

“She really stepped up in the middle of the second set, so I just tried to be offensive when I could.”