Days after Ajla Tomljanovic feared she would miss the Australian Open altogether, the classy local believes "the sky's the limit" for her Melbourne Park campaign.
Tomljanovic retired from her Adelaide International clash with countrywoman Maya Joint with a pectoral muscle issue.
But the setback didn't stop the 32-year-old beating Ukrainian Yuliia Starodubtseva 4-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 to reach the second round at Melbourne Park.
"I just hit a serve in that third game against Maya. My pec, I got this sharp sensation. It just really scared me. I felt really bad," Tomljanovic said.
"Then I hit a few slow ones after that, played two more points, it was still bothering me. It felt like if I kept going, I could do something really bad.
"I didn't really have an idea what I exactly did, but it didn't really feel good. In the moment, I will admit, I was pretty scared even if I'd play here."
Tennis Australia medical staff got to work when Tomljanovic arrived in Melbourne, with a lot of rehabilitation and treatment, while minimising serving in training.
"Luckily with my groundstrokes, it didn't bother me right away," she said.
"I was a bit nervous about my serving. Yeah, I mean, I probably wasn't going for my usual pace today, but it was still fast enough to make it competitive.
"... I mean, I felt good out there.
"To be fair, I really don't know exactly now what happened in Adelaide.
"It happened, but I took great care of it and I'm pretty fortunate that going into the second round. I'll see how I'll pull up tomorrow, but I'm confident."
Tomljanovic will manage the pec injury throughout the tournament.
"It's definitely just something we're going to have to take care of, even moving forward in this year. I had it also last year," the three-time grand slam quarter-finalist said.
"So whenever you have a bit of a recurring injury like that, it makes us change up the program and think what we can do moving forward, that we minimise that happening."
The Australian said the injury had taken her mind off her ongoing knee concern.
Tomljanovic made back-to-back Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2021 and 2022, and the last eight at the US Open in 2022.
But a knee injury forced her withdrawal from the 2023 Open and ruined most of that season, and she is still building her way back to her best.
"I think this year, I mean, the sky's the limit," Tomljanovic said ahead of her second-round clash with Russia Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
"I don't know, I'm here. I'm against a lot of odds in a position where I feel like I could beat good players.
"Out of all the years since my knee, I think this is the best I felt.
"The best for me is not to put pressure on anything, but at the same time I really do go out there believing, which is key.
"If you don't believe, you have no business being here."
