The talented 16-year-old, still struggling with the right knee complaint that forced him to withdraw three games into Tuesday’s final against Albury’s Jade Culph, breezed through his second-round qualifying match at the Wodonga Grasscourt Championships.

Long, who will be forced to play another qualifier this morning as he attempts to break into the main draw, said he contemplated withdrawing from the open event at the Wodonga Tennis Centre only minutes before yesterday’s match.

“I only decided to play about five minutes after walking on court,” said Long, who had a bye in the first round of qualifying.

“I didn’t have a hit this morning because I don’t want to spend too much time on the court.”

Despite winning 6-1 6-2 win against left-handed Briton Jamie Carwithen, 17, Long didn’t have everything his own way.

The tall and athletic right-hander struggled with his sideways movement, with the strong wind making play difficult for all competitors.

Long, who has often struggled with knee back and shoulder problems and plays with strapping on both ankles, broke Carwithen’s serve in the first game of the second set but then lost his serve.

But Long soon found his rhythm to lead 5-1 before winning the set 6-2.

“The more the match went on the less I could do,” Long said.

“I obviously wasn’t able to move a lot. I had to hold my serve.

“There were a lot of close games.”

Long has pulled out of the doubles and is hoping to go as far as he can in the singles to boost his Australian ranking of 454.

The five-day Wodonga Grasscourt Championships and the Victorian Junior Grasscourt Championships end on Sunday.