JULIE Pullin revealed yesterday: "A dream has come true for me."

The 23-year-old from Hove qualfied for the main draw of a Grand Slam single event for the first time at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

And she said: 'It is something I've been aiming to do ever since I became a professional.

"I've played in the main draw at Wimbledon thanks to a wild card, but I've never made it through the three qualifying matches to get into it.

"It was a special moment. It made me thrilled to bits. It really was a dream come true."

The Pavilion and Avenue club member overcame American Samantha Reeves 6-2, 7-6 to clinch a main draw clash with another American, Jane Chi.

Pullin held her nerve against the player seeded seven in the qualifiers who was world ranked 48 places above the Sussex ace at 124.

The former Blatchington Mill pupil cruised through the first set but she had to come back from 6-5 down in the second before sealing victory in the tie-break, which she won 7-3.

Her opponent double-faulted five times and made 35 unforced errors as ice-cool Julie finished her off, making Reeves hit a backhand out over the tramlines on match point.

Twice said: "I felt I played very, very well in the first set. The second set was a bit of a see-saw affair but I played well in the tie break to build up 6-1 lead. She back back again but I held my nerve."

Pullin, who moved abouve above Lucie Ahl to become British No.2 with the victory,had to fight off opponents who were all ranked above her to secure her showdown with Chi.

She overcame Slovakian Martina Sucha 6-3, 7-5 in the opening round on the qualifiers.

In the second, Italian Gloria Pizzichini, once ranked in the world top 40, was dismissed 6-4, 6-0 in just 59 minutes before the triumph ahainst Reeves.

Pullin said: "I feel it was a good achievement but mentally it was very draining for me. And I was pleased I was able to avoid Mary Pierce in the main draw.

"So often in the past I've had draws against top players early on in Grand Slams, but getting someone like Chi gave me the chance to progress further than I've ever done in a Grand Slam singles."

But Pullin feared that she would miss out on playing in the doubles because the ranking of her partner , Judith Weingarten, was too low.

She said: "If my regular partner Lorna Woodroffe had been able to be involved then I think I'd be playing doubles but the cut off point looks too high.

Pullin was the lone Briton left in the main draw of the women's singles with Louise Latimer being knocked out in the last qualifying round 7-5, 6-1 against Argnetian Florencia Labat.

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