HISTORY MAKER! Ash Barty becomes the first Australian woman to reach the Australian Open Final in over 40 years, beats Madison Keys
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Ash Barty
World No.1 Ash Barty produced yet another masterclass on Rod Laver Arena to reach her maiden Australian Open Final. She defeated American Madison Keys in straight sets 6-1,6-3 to reach a grand slam final for the 3rd time. She also becomes the first Australian to reach the Oz Open final since Lleyton Hewitt.
Barty has dropped just 21 sets all tournament- speaking volumes of her dominance. In tennis history, only Serena Williams(2013 US Open and US Open 2012) and Venus Williams(Wimbledon 2009) have dropped fewer games than Barty to reach a major final. She also becomes the first Australian woman to reach the Australian Open final in over 40 years!
Like her previous matches in the tournament, Barty was dominant right from the very start. She was mixing her shots from the baseline and was near perfect on serve. She was quick to break early and took a decisive lead. Keys was trying hard to match Barty from the baseline but couldn’t handle the Australian’s movement. With a double break’s lead, she took the opening set 6-1.
Keys looked clueless by Barty’s pace on return as the top seed broke early once again in the second set. The American, despite trying new things couldn’t execute her plans and looked rattled towards the end. Barty, on serve, was quick to wrap things up and took the second set 6-3 to enter the final.
‘I’m just happy that I get to play my best tennis here’: Barty
In the on court interview, Barty spoke about how much she loves playing the Australian Open and said that the Australians are very lucky to have a home slam.
“It’s unreal! I love this tournament, I love coming out here and playing in Australia and as an Aussie, we’re exceptionally lucky to get to play at home, playing in our own backyard. I’m just happy that I get to play my best tennis here. I enjoy here, I’ve done well before and now I have a chance to play for the title, it’s unreal,” Barty said.
She then spoke about the tricky conditions on Rod Laver Arena tonight and revealed how difficult of an opponent Keys can be. “Conditions were a little different tonight. It was nice and humid. The ball was a little bit slower, a little bit heavier of the strings,” she said.
“I just tried to run and adapt and get as many balls back as I could – keep Maddy[Keys] under the pump on her serve because she’s got the ability to take it away from you really quickly, without you even realizing what’s happening. So it was important to stay point by point and try to do things each and every time.”
Barty is good friends with Keys and spoke highly about her. She said that the American was back where she belongs and is a great person off the court too.
“It’s so nice to see her back where she belongs. She is an amazing human being. You see the way she carries herself on the court, she smiles and always gives her best. The thing I love most about Maddy is that she is a great person no matter what happens on court. She looks you in the eye and gives a good handshake and I just love that about her. I know that a lot of girls really respect and love her,” she said.
The Australian will face either Iga Swiatek or Danielle Collins in the final. About her opponent, she said that both have different games but equally deserve to be in the semifinal.
“Both of them are a little bit different in the way they play. Both are here to compete and find a way to win even if they are not playing at their best, they fight and I think it’s going to be a hell of a match tonight. I probably won’t watch it. I’ll come back here on Saturday with a massive smile on my face and see what happens,” she concluded.
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