Katie Boulter reached the second round of the Australian Open after winning the first final set tiebreak in tournament history, defeating Ekaterina Makarova 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (10-6). The new tiebreak was introduced by the tournament just last month.
The match, played on Court 12, looked to be a runaway early on for the 97th-ranked Brit as she bagelled the Russian in just 27 minutes before Makarova, a former semifinalist in Melbourne, struck back to win the second set to force a deciding set.
Boulter jumps out to early lead in tiebreak, hangs on for victory
Possessing a powerful game, Boulter was quickly off the mark, winning the first five points of the new super tiebreak behind big serving and groundstrokes, Makarova earning a warning for a verbal obscenity.
Showing her inexperience, she let the 60th-ranked Makarova back in the breaker as the Russian took four points in a row, the streak started by a double fault by the Brit.
After claiming the next two points for a 7-4 lead, Boulter charged to the net in celebration, thinking she had won the match only to realize soon after she needed to win three more points.
She steadied herself after Makarova held her two points to close to 7-6 and took the final three points to go down as the first-ever winner of the new final set super tiebreaker.
Brit talks about forgetting new tiebreaker rule in post-match interview
"I was kind of in the moment and forgot that it was first to 10", Boulter said afterwards. I think it's very tough to turn around because you've just released and you think you've won the match to get back to work and find a way.
"I thought I did that pretty well and I am pretty proud of myself for digging deep. I've got to take it lightheartedly. I ended up getting the win. I probably would have been really devastated had I not. A couple of people have mentioned it to me and I can laugh it off now.
"I can laugh it off now, but at least I know the rule, so it definitely won't happen again".