ASH’S FINAL FLING
ASH Barty has survived a ferocious French Open challenge from US teenager Amanda Anisimova to reach her maiden grand slam final after a contest of extraordinary momentum swings last night.
The Queenslander will bid to join the greats of the Australian game after weathering world No.51 Anisimova — and constant rain at Roland Garros — 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-3.
Barty will play unseeded Marketa Vondrousova in tonight’s final.
The Czech left-hander beat Johanna Konta 7-5, 7-6 (7-2).
Barty is guaranteed a minimum $1.8 million by reaching the final, which is scheduled to start at 11pm (AEST).
Signing “Paris” and a heart sign on a courtside camera, Barty struggled to reconcile her achievement.
“It’s incredible, it really is, it’s just been an amazing journey that I’ve been on,” the rejuvenated right-hander said.
“I really can’t wait to see what happens tomorrow. It’s amazing, that was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. “I tried my hardest.” Barty, 23, will attempt to become Australia’s fourth women’s singles champion at the French, joining Margaret Court (1962, ’64, ’69, ’70 and ’73), Lesley Bowrey (’63 and ’65) and her idol Evonne Goolagong (’71).
Seeking to become the nation’s first major champion since Sam Stosur at the 2011 US Open, Barty is guaranteed a rise to world No.3 — the highest mark held by an Australian women since Wendy Turnbull in 1985.
Crowning an improbable climb to the heights of the sport, it is almost exactly three years to the day that Barty returned to tennis from cricket after an 18-month sabbatical.
At the time, she was ranked No.623 in the world.
She is now the bona fide star everyone expected her to become after winning the Wimbledon junior title eight years ago.
Barty showed tremendous composure to recover brilliantly after blowing a 5-0 first-set lead and trailing 0-3 in the second set. Nursing two set points on teary Anisimova’s serve at 15-40 (0-5), Barty suddenly lost her way as Simona Halep’s quarter-final conqueror ran amok. Barty pocketed 23 of the first 27 points of the match to lead the first set 5-0 after just 12 minutes — only to lose the set.