MELBOURNE (AFP) - New Australian tennis star Daria Gavrilova has shown refreshing humility by admitting she acted like "a little girl" and needed to learn from it after a mid-match meltdown at the Australian Open.

The Moscow-born Gavrilova, who received her Australian passport recently, has been a breakout star at Melbourne Park, winning legions of new fans with her formidable game and sunny disposition.

But she had a centre-court tantrum against experienced Spaniard Carla Suarez in the fourth round on Sunday night. After winning the opening set 6-0, she lost focus to crash 3-6, 2-6 in the next two sets and lose.

In shades of madcap compatriot Nick Kyrgios, the 21-year-old chastised herself, repeatedly threw her racket and kicked a ball in disgust in front of the sell-out crowd and global television audience.

"It wasn't great and I'm very disappointed with myself. I was being a little girl. Just, yeah, I'm very disappointed with myself," she said.

"I got emotionally fried in the second set. I was getting angry with myself, just showing way too much emotion.

"I've never played that deep in a Grand Slam, so maybe that's why. (But) It's not acceptable. I don't know why I did that. I was terrible."