Barty time as Ash makes Sydney final
ASHLEIGH Barty looked down and out after Daria Gavrilova took the first set 6- 3 in comfortable fashion.
“Just fight,” she said of her mindset at the time. “That’s what every player does. You want to try and extend the matches as much as possible. I knew it wasn’t quite perfect after the first set but if you hang in there long enough, I think sometimes you can get more comfortable on the court and that was certainly the case for me today.”
Barty bounced back to claim the next two sets and book a place in Saturday’s Sydney International final.
Her 3- 6, 6- 4, 6- 2 win over her good friend ensures Barty will carry the heaviest expectation at next week’s Australian Open, which she enters as Australia’s highest- ranked female.
“It’s exciting going into my home slam as No. 1,” she said. “Although it is a nice thing, it’s not something that I focus on. It’s more about me playing matches the right way and doing the right things on and off the court to try and get the results, and to be able to have that No. 1 ranking is a bonus.
“There is nothing better than playing at home, playing in front of a home crowd. Regardless whether you’re No. 1, No. 10, or 100 in the world, it’s the best feeling for an Australian to be playing at the Australian Open.
“We are extremely lucky to be a grand slam nation and to be able to start our year at home is really exciting.”
Barty, 21, reeled off straight sets wins against Veronica Cepede Royg, Ellen Perez and Barbora Strycova this week before rallying against her coffee buddy Gavrilova.
She will play the winner of the Angelique Kerber- Camila Giorgi semi- final; that match had not finished by the time of publication.
“It’s nice to make a final at home but I think in my eyes it’s perfect preparation for next week,” said Barty, the first Australian woman in a Sydney final since Alicia Molik defeated Sam Stosur in 2005.
“I’d love to go one further and hold the trophy up here. It’s nice to be able to get a lot of matches here and be rewarded with the final.”
The world No. 19 begins her Australian Open campaign on Monday against Belarusian Aryna Sabalenko, who is ranked No. 69. Gavrilova, Australia’s second- highest- ranked woman at No. 25 in the world, was left frustrated by her errors, notably one of seven double faults serving into the net twice at 4- all in the second set.
“I feel like double faults are not helping me at all,” said Gavrilova, who has made the fourth round of the Australian Open in the previous two years and will begin her 2018 campaign against a qualifier. “But overall, I think I’m on the right path and playing good tennis. I’ve only three or two days, so it’s just chipping away and keep working on my weapons.
“Last year I actually didn’t play that well ( in the Australian Open) but I was just competing, I was fighting hard; in the end I was getting the wins.