World No.1 and former Roland Garros champion Ashleigh Barty continued her fine display at the Wimbledon Championships 2021 with another straight sets victory. Falling prey to the tenacious Australian on this occasion was Germany’s Angelique Kerber.
It was a hard fought victory for Barty, who will contest in her maiden Wimbledon final on Saturday.
Relentless Barty books finals berth
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It was another compact performance from the Aussie, with her serve proving to be the vital difference in the key moments.
In the first set, Barty broke the Kerber service game early on, to take a 2-0 lead. There was no looking back from that point for the 1st seed. She went on to eke out all her service games and took the first set 6-3.
Going into the second set, Kerber took the bull by the horns. She began playing more fearless, attacking tennis and pushed Barty to the corners. After racing to a 3-0 lead, it appeared as if the tennis gods were hellbent on having tennis buffs witness a deciding set. However, the ‘Barty Party’ kicked off late in the second set, and the set would be determined by a tie-breaker.
The race-to-seven battle was always going to be tough for Kerber, who was struggling to string consecutive points on her own serve. Ashleigh Barty eventually came through in two enjoyable sets, 6-3 7-6(3).
Records galore for Ashleigh Barty
Just a young lady from Queensland, Australia living out her childhood dreams ?? #Wimbledon | @AshBarty pic.twitter.com/AKudrx09v6
? Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 8, 2021
The battling semi-final victory meant that the World No.1 Barty became the first Australian woman to reach the Wimbledon final in over 40 years [Evonne Goolagong in 1980]. She has reached just her second Grand Slam final, with the first coming on clay in 2019. Barty will also aim to become the 5th different women’s singles champion at SW19 in 5 years.
It has also been 5 years since the first seed of the women’s draw triumphed at the Championships [Serena Williams in 2016]. Provided she can overcome the final hurdle, Barty will become just the 4th junior Wimbledon champion in the Open Era to win the senior championship. She will join an elite list comprising of Ann Jones, Martina Hingis and Amelie Mauresmo.
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Ashleigh Barty is bidding to become the 1st No.1 seed to win #Wimbledon since Serena Williams in 2016.
She is also aiming to become the 4th junior Wimbledon champion in the Open Era to win the Venus Rosewater Dish (Ann Jones, Martina Hingis, Amelie Mauresmo). pic.twitter.com/jjMG50zRFR
? WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) July 8, 2021
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Not dropping a single set since her First Round encounter, Barty is on a roll at the moment. Standing in her way of capturing the Venus Rosewater dish is Czech 8th seed Karolina Pliskova.
It will be a battle of power vs guile in the mouth-watering summit clash, and tennis will be the ultimate winner after the match. May the best woman win!