Melbourne teenager Jaimee Fourlis has secured a maiden WTA win at the Hobart International, a year after making her top-level debut at the same event.
The 18-year-old wildcard progressed to the second round on Monday with a gruelling 7-5 7-6 (11-9) victory over Serbian qualifier Nina Stojanovic.
Fourlis was knocked out in round one at Hobart in 2017 in her first WTA tournament but has gone one better on the second attempt.
She's the sole Australian remaining in the main draw after countrywoman Lizette Cabrera was eliminated on Sunday.
Fourlis took more than two hours to get past Stojanovic, who saved two match points in a tense second-set tiebreak.
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"I thought I really knuckled down when I needed to. That was something I discussed with my coach, to keep trusting my game," Fourlis said.
Fourlis, who earned an Australian Open wildcard earlier this month, reached a career-high ranking of No.271 last year and took a set off former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki in the first round of the French Open.
She'll meet 2015 Hobart champion Heather Watson in the second round after the Brit upset third-seed Romanian Sorana Cirstea in straight sets.
"Hopefully this starts (my season) off really well," Fourlis said.
