FORMER NO.1 JUNIOR MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME

TENNIS: Australian wildcard Jason Kubler could barely believe it after continuing his extraordinary return from the tennis wilderness with a watershed first-round US Open win over Spanish star Roberto Bautista-Agut.

In a long overdue main-draw debut for the former teenage prodigy, Kubler defied searing heat to oust the 19th seed 6-3 6-3 6-4 in the first big shock of the tournament.

“It was unreal ... the biggest win of my career,” Kubler said after sealing victory with a backhand pass down the line.

With Kubler ranked 945th in the world this time last year, his stop-start career appeared over after six knee surgeries and medical advice to only ever play on clay courts.

But after cracking the top 100 for the first time last month, the 25-year-old Queenslander is also savouring his maiden victory at a major.

“It’s crazy to think just how far it’s been in just under 12 months,” said the one-time world No.1 junior, who missed eight years of grand slam action before being granted an Australian Open wildcard in January and then successfully qualifying at Wimbledon.

“It was good to have Wimbledon just because it gives me confidence that I did qualify,” said Kubler, who lost in four sets to Argentina’s Guido Pella in the first round of that tournament.

Kubler’s reward for his latest milestone moment is a secondround clash tomorrow (AEST) with 20-year-old American Taylor Fritz, a five-set comeback winner over Mischa Zverev.

Finally feeling injury-free, Kubler is confident his battered body can handle the physical grind of back-to-back grand slam matches for the first time.

“That’s probably the best best-of-five setter I’ve had,” he said. “I’ve only had three or four of them before, but each of them I was cramping or I was pretty tired.”

Ashleigh Barty likened the muggy conditions in New York to being back home in Queensland, after storming past Ons Jabeur 6-1 6-3 to set up a second-round date with former grand slam finalist Lucie Safarova – one of the most dangerous unseeded players in the draw.

Barty has never played the Czech in singles but hopes her successful doubles partnership with Casey Dellacqua will equip her for the challenge of facing a left-hander.

“There aren’t too many lefties but I’ve hit enough balls with Casey in my life so it’s pretty normal for me as well,” Barty said.