Lloyd Harris delighted to return to winning ways at the Australian Open

The 25-year-old Capetonian is coming off a six-month injury lay-off that he admits tested him both physically and mentally and led to some hard times.

However, the pain was all worth it as he returned with a hugely encouraging five-set win over Italian 17th seed Lorenzo Musetti on Monday.

Harris faced a setback in the match after taking the opening two sets, allowing Musetti to draw level, but he hit back in the deciding fifth set to claim a nervy tie-break 10-4 and advance to the second round.

It was a great result for a player who required two operations on his right wrist in 2022, resulting in a six-month spell on the sidelines.

"[It] feels amazing. It feels amazing to be back playing, enjoying the crowd, just enjoying the tennis. I had a blast out there. I was really just enjoying the moment, the crowd, the atmosphere. It was great," Harris told reporters at Melbourne Park.

Harris said his injury woes were made all the more frustrating by the fact that they interrupted a great run of form.

"I think the hardest thing was to accept it mentally, you know. Physically there was a problem. I was limited. I was in a lot of pain and playing with a lot of pain.

"I knew what had to be done, and it was hard for myself to accept it."

Ultimately, though, Harris was able to accept his situation and find a reason to be optimistic again.

"I went to a new page in the book. I actually felt happy. I was excited that we're going to get rid of that pain, and I could get back to playing and enjoying the game I love," he said.

"I feel like I learned so much and could reflect so much... it just makes me better as a player and a person."

Harris will play Hungarian World No 78 Marton Fucsovics in the second round.