Shortly after 5.10pm on No 3 Court here on Monday, Jodie Burrage whacked herself hard on the foot with her racket and then walloped the other foot for good measure. On break point against her, Burrage had stopped mid-rally and called for a review, convinced that Caty McNally’s forehand had drifted long. Wrongly convinced, as it turned out, in what felt like a possible turning point in a match that Burrage, a wildcard, had been dominating.
That it proved to be anything but is a testament to Burrage’s tenacity and composure, as the world No 108, who had not made it past the first round here in two previous attempts, reeled off the next four games to complete a 6-1, 6-3 defeat of a player ranked 41 places in front of her.
