CAMILA GIORGI hurled her racket in frustration before prevailing in an epic victory over WTA Tour veteran Kaia Kanepi.
The feisty Italian was in action as the Miami Open kicked off yesterday.
Giorgi, ranked 44 in the world, drew Kanepi in what proved to be a gruelling encounter on Butch Buchholz court.
As the blaring sunshine beat down on Hard Rock Stadium, Giorgi pinched the first set on a tiebreak.
But as a flurry of double faults flew off her racket, the 31-year-old grew frustrated.
And her irritation reached a boiling point in the second set tiebreak, when she hurled her racket in frustration.
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Kanepi, 37, went on to claim the second set, taking the match into an equally gruelling decider.
Giorgi managed to gather herself, surviving 14 double faults to triumph in the third set breaker, nailing a forehand to claim match point.
The 3hr 32min encounter is the joint-longest match of the year on the WTA Tour.
It ties Brit Harriet Dart's defeat to Erika Andreeva in Austin last month.
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Giorgi's hard-fought victory earned her a second-round clash with former world No1 Victoria Azarenka, set to take place tomorrow.
Meanwhile in Miami, there is plenty of British interest.
Emma Raducanu takes on fellow former US Open winner Bianca Andreescu – with Andy Murray in action against Dujan Lajovic and Kyle Edmund playing Chinese No1 Wu Yibing.
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