Ons Jabeur was in tears after experiencing breathing problems three games into her Australian Open match against Camila Osorio but the Tunisian showed her mettle to book her place in the third round at Melbourne Park.
An injury-plagued 2024 has seen the former world No 2 slip to 39th in the WTA rankings. Jabeur ended her season in September and only returned to action at the start of 2025. She said the long spell away had left her vulnerable to asthma-related problems.
"When I was younger, I was diagnosed with asthma, so having taken off a lot didn't help. I think it provoked it even more," she told reporters after her 7-5, 6-3 win over the Colombian.
A routine win had seemed improbable when the three-time Grand Slam finalist slumped to her chair, coughing as she tapped her chest, after going 2-1 up in the opening set.
Jabeur wiped away tears before leaving the court for medical attention, later returning to win despite not being at her best for the remainder of the contest.
"It was very tough to play," Jabeur said. "I had to not play long rallies. I was playing Camila. Not the best opponent when you're in this condition but I apologised at the end of the match, because I really don't want to behave like this on the court.
"I tried to manage. Luckily, I was playing really good. That really helped pump me up. If I had lost the first set, it would have been very difficult to continue."
Jabeur is bidding to become the first African and Arab woman to win a major but admitted she is not at the level required to break back into the top 10.
"But it's getting there," she said. "I don't want to be greedy just after coming back from an injury. Sometimes I get angry because I feel like I'm getting back there, but every time something happens."
Jabeur, a quarter-finalist at the 2020 Australian Open, meets American eighth seed Emma Navarro in the next round.
Navarro, a US Open semi-finalist last year and seeded in the top eight for the first time at a major, was in trouble after two service breaks early in the third set before she reeled off four straight games to beat Wang Xiyu 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
She hopped from the baseline toward the net, and made a big, swirling swing of her arm to underline another tough, three-set victory.
“It was really tough the whole time ... super tough there at the end,” Navarro said. “Found some good tennis there in the last games.”
Iga Swiatek charged into the third round of the Australian Open on a bright and sunny Thursday before fellow Grand Slam winner Emma Raducanu booked an intriguing encounter against the second seed with a convincing victory.
It was the end of the road for Swiatek's Polish compatriot Hubert Hurkacz, however, as the 18th seed went down in straight sets to Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic.
A day after intermittent rain dampened fans' spirits at Melbourne Park, five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek shot out of the blocks on a sunbathed Rod Laver Arena to crush Rebecca Sramkova 6-0, 6-2.
The 2022 Australian Open semi-finalist ran Slovak Sramkova ragged in the early exchanges to build a 5-0 lead in a little over 20 minutes and took the opening set comfortably with her third break after losing only 10 points.
Sramkova drew loud cheers from the crowd when she got on the board with a couple of easy holds in the second set. Although she avoided the ignominy of a "double bagel", there was only more frustration in store as Swiatek moved up a gear.
The Pole broke for a 4-2 lead when Sramkova sent a backhand into the net, before wrapping up the match in style to set up a meeting with fellow former U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu.
"For sure I felt really solid, it was a really efficient match. I'm happy I kept my focus," said Swiatek, who dropped to second in the world rankings before serving a one-month doping ban late last year.
"Sometimes, leading in that way may cause problems later on because your focus may be gone, but I'm happy that I was solid."
Raducanu, who has struggled with a string of injuries since her 2021 New York triumph, required an off-court medical timeout for an apparent left hip issue at 0-3 in the second set against Amanda Anisimova before seeing off the American 6-3, 7-5.
The Briton said she was relishing the clash with Swiatek.
"I'm loving it. It's another opportunity to test my game," added Raducanu, who reached the third round at Melbourne for the first time.
"Obviously she's achieved so much already. I think I'll be going into it with nothing to lose and I'm just going to swing. I'm going to give it my best.
"I can't wait to play in front of you guys."
Sixth-seeded Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion and runner-up in Australia two years ago, registered her 50th win in a Grand Slam main draw singles match when she beat American qualifier Iva Jovic 6-0, 6-3.
No 9 Daria Kasatkina also advanced 6-2, 6-0 over Wang Yafan and faces a third round match against No 24 Yulia Putintseva, who beat Zhang Shuai 6-2, 6-1.
