Gibson responded to the vocal crowd support to recover from a set and a service break down to upset Turkey's higher-ranked Zeynep Sonmez 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 and become the first local through to the second round at Melbourne Park.
Shooting for the lines, Gibson opened up after scraping through the second-set tiebreaker and was rewarded for her courage with the most significant win of her fledgling career.
"The Aussie crowds are always so amazing. You're always able to get so much energy from them wherever you are," the 20-year-old Gibson said.
"That definitely played a huge part in helping me today. It's super exciting."
The world No.150 will pocket a minimum $200,000 for setting up a shot at Spanish 11th seed Paula Badosa on Wednesday.
First Grand Slam win, first top 100 win �— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) What a moment for Aussie wildcard Talia Gibson as she comes back from a set down to defeat Sonmez 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-1 🇦🇺@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/qv8qL5DCICJanuary 13, 2025
McCabe also wowed a legion of fervent fans on Court 6 - including rugby league and union dual international Sonny Bill Williams - with a rousing 6-4 6-3 6-4 victory over Spanish wildcard Martin Landaluce.
The Filipino-born 21-year-old couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he signed autographs and posed for selfies following his watershed win.
His reward, as well as a financial windfall, is a meeting with unseeded American Alex Michelsen, who dumped world No.11 Stefanos Tsitsipas from the tournament.
Veterans James Duckworth and Alja Tomljanovic also progressed.
Duckworth thumped Swiss Dominic Stricker 6-2 6-4 6-2 to book a date with Spaniard Roberto Carbelles Baena, while Tomljanovic notched a fighting three-set win over exciting young American Ashlyn Krueger.
Also playing on a wildcard after falling out of the world's top 100 while battling a knee injury for much of the past two years, Tomljanovic prevailed 6-4 4-6 6-4 after a two-hour, 22-minute slugfest on Margaret Court Arena.
The three-time grand slam quarter-finalist next faces 12th seed Dianna Schnaider on Wednesday, needing to upset the Russian to make the last 32 at Melbourne Park for the first time in 10 attempts.
Wildcard James McCabe scored a joyous maiden grand slam win at Melbourne Park. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)
Gibson, McCabe, Duckworth and Tomljanovic were among a dozen Australians scheduled for day two action, having already fared batter than day one casualties Daria Saville, Adam Walton, Omar Jasika and Li Tu.
World No.27 Jordan Thompson was playing German Dominik Koepfer in his first grand slam appearance as a seed after enjoying a breakout 2024 season.
Nick Kyrgios makes his long-awaited grand slam comeback against Brit Jacob Fearnley in one of the feature night matches on Monday.
Kyrgios's doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis, along with Chris O'Connell, Tristan Schoolkate, Aleksandar Vukic, Maya Joint and Destanee Aiava also open their campaigns on Monday
33°C