GET THIS BARTY STARTED

ASHLEIGH Barty has described her dream run into the Sydney International final as the perfect preparation for next week’s Australian Open grand slam.

Barty on Friday became the first Australian in 13 years to advance to the Sydney final after toppling compatriot Daria Gavrilova in three sets.

“It’s nice to make a final at home, but I think in my eyes it’s perfect preparation for next week,” Barty said after her win.

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.

The country’s No.1 female shook off an early serving funk to come back from two sets down and set up a decider against former world No.1 Angelique Kerber or qualifier Camila Giorgi.

Barty, ranked No.19 in the world, held serve just once in the first set but found her groove thereafter as the 25th-ranked Gavrilova slowly struggled in the heat.

“Just fight,” she said of her mindset at the time.

“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.”

“It’s exciting going into my home slam as No. 1,” she said.

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.