The 16-year-old pushed Japanese player Risa Ozaki to three sets in the junior grand slam late yesterday afternoon.

Long dropped her serve early in the match before coming back to take the first set 6-4.

“After that first set I was on a high, everything was working for me,” a disappointed Long said post-match.

“At the start I was a bit unsettled and then I got into it and (was) feeling a lot more confident. I was really playing with the crowd and really enjoying it.

Long dropped her serve early in the second. She broke straight back thanks to heavy hitting and impressive chasing down of balls and led 4-3.

But the 61st ranked Ozaki turned her game around and went on a nine-game winning spree, taking the second two sets 6-4, 6-0.

Ozaki’s shot making reached a higher level as she smacked winners off both wings, winning 38 of 49 points to wrap up the match.

“She just started getting on top of the ball,” Long said.

“She was making the shots she wasn’t in the first set and in the middle of the second set.

“I think just those little things, confidence really changed for her (and) I was starting to get a bit down and frustrated at myself.

“With that comes me making more mistakes and her getting really confident and making some great shots.”

Ozaki, 17, played all four junior grand slams last year in singles and doubles.

She made the third round at the US Open and Wimbledon, the second round in Australia and lost in the first round of the French Open.

Long will have a break before starting year 11 at Catholic College Bendigo.

“It’s in Brisbane for the nationals and I have got one more year of 16-and-under,” she said.

“I think I will be having a go at that and I think that is the first term holidays.

“It’s a goal of mine to try and get into some ITF tournaments and get a bit of a ranking going.

“That is the next step for me.”

About 100 people watched Long.

She took to the court about 6pm and battled for more than 90 minutes.

Long said it was the biggest crowd she had played in front of and would use the experience to enhance her game.

The Bendigo junior and Canberra’s Ashley Keir had hoped to win a wildcard for the junior doubles, but were unsuccessful.