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Ashleigh Barty has beaten Danielle Collins in straight sets and is the first Australian to win a Grand Slam at home in 44 years.
A strong Ashleigh Barty was the first Australian to win a Grand Slam at home on Saturday at the age of 44, stopping the charge of fearless American Danielle Collins in sets.
The world number one was 5-1 less in the second set, but came back to win a draw and beat the 27th-placed 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) to become the Australian Open champion. Rod Laver waiting for the crowd at the Arena.
It was the third Slam title for the 25-year-old in 2019 and after last year’s success at the French Open at Wimbledon, he teamed up with Serena Williams as the only active player to win the top three on three surfaces.
He achieved his feat with Christine O’Neill, the last Australian to win in Melbourne, watching the stadium.
O’Neill won the title in 1978 and told reporters before the match: “I’m probably his (Barty’s) biggest fan.
“He’s an absolute thinker, he’s a craftsman, like a chess player with how he builds points.”
There were fears that the weight of hope could be overwhelmed, but the Australian has faced a lot of pressure before, more so than at Wimbledon last year.
Winning the All England Club was a trophy he wanted more than anyone else, and he managed it with great skill.
He applied the same special tactics with the resurrected Collins, who enjoyed a new lifestyle after surgery last year due to endometriosis, reaching his first two WTA titles.
Power play
Barty faced the power of the 28-year-old and faced the big serve with his dizzying range of slices, accurate serve, speed and unified forehand, but he was terrified.
Both players made their initial service games comfortable, offering few opportunities as they gained a sense of each other.
But Collins was using his powerful base blows and causing problems.
Barty served the first deuce with a 2-2 serve and a wrong forehand gave him an early break for the night.
American Danielle Collins reacts when she receives the runner-up trophy after losing to Barty in the Australian Open women’s singles final. [Hamish Blair/AP Photo]The Australian, however, held on tight and pulled out an ace.
He then leveled up and put pressure on Collins ’serve with a clean volley to get his first break point, and the American pair came under pressure 4-2 behind.
With people roaring, Barty ran home 6-3 in 32 minutes.
But Collins didn’t finish and the storm came back, with Barty breaking 2-0 in the second set – the fate the Australian had endured before this tournament.
Collins took a two-point break to hold on to the serve and while Barty won his next serve game he lifted the American and broke it again 5-1 as the top seed sent two double faults.
Barty was in deep trouble, but he found his way back terribly, breaking 2-5 with some honest winners, and breaking 4-5 again as Collins served the set.
Tiebrea forced him and was always responsible for the fourth win in five encounters with Collins and for making history for Australia.
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