Australian Open: Wildcard Talia Gibson reaches second round

An Aussie wildcard has secured an upset win and maiden second-round berth at Melbourne Park as her opponent lost the plot.

Aussie wildcard Talia Gibson kept her cool to win her first grand slam match as her higher-ranked opponent combusted in the sun at Melbourne Park.

Gibson, 20, advanced to the second round in her second Australian Open main draw appearance as she held her nerve in a second-set tie-break to win 3-6, 7-6, 6-1 on Monday.

A nervous start threatened to cost the world No.150 against her 94th-ranked opponent Zeynep Sonmez, but she held her serve to save the match at 5-4 down in the second set before clinching the tie-break and breaking her Turkish rival in the second hour of the clash.

Aussie wildcard Talia Gibson got her serve into gear to push past Turkiye’s Zeynep Sonmez for her maiden grand slam victory at Melbourne Park. Picture: Cameron Spencer / Getty Images

Sonmez, 22, struggled in the 26C heat and wore an ice pack around her neck at change of ends during the second set before she lost her temper in the tie-break.

She repeatedly admonished herself after the West Australian skipped away to secure three set points, and her frustration boiled over when she whacked her racquet against her hip and thigh repeatedly after an unforced error early in the final set.

Gibson hit 11 winners to four in the second set to gain a foothold in the match and then got her serve going in the decider as she sent down three aces to claim a 6-1 victory.

A frustrated Zeynep Sonmez was unable to break through for her first grand slam win after struggling under the Melbourne sun. Picture: Adam Dennis / AFP

Sonmez, who was also in search of a first grand slam victory, was unable to regain her composure and held her head in her hands after giving away a rare foot fault on her second serve late in the match.

Gibson was the first Australian to reach the second round after Daria Saville, Omar Jasika and Adam Walton all lost on Sunday.

Vocal Australian supporters on court 3 remained in place as journeyman James Duckworth stepped out for his first-round clash against Switzerland’s Dominic Stricker.

Originally published as Australian Open: Wildcard Talia Gibson reaches second round