Final destination for Ashleigh Barty
World No 1 Ashleigh Barty sealed her place in the final of Wimbledon after a straightsets win over Angelique Kerber on Thursday.
Barty, who became the first Australian woman to reach the singles final at the All England Club for 41 years, triumphed 6-3, 7-6 over 2018 champion Kerber.
In Saturday’s final, she will take on eighth seed Karolina Pliskova, who came from a set down to beat Aryna Sabalenka 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.
Barty, 25, has been given extra motivation at this tournament as it is 50 years ago her fellow indigenous Australian Evonne Goolagong Cawley won the first of her two Wimbledon titles.
Barty has worn a specially-designed dress as a tribute to the ‘iconic’ scallop one her “friend and mentor” wore in that 1971 final. Her game has always appeared a perfect fit for grass – she won the junior title a decade ago as a 15-year-old – and got off to a flying start on Centre Court by winning the first three games.
Kerber improved, finding her backhand down the line, but the glimpses she did have were invariably snuffed out by a big Barty serve.
The German, whose last victory over a top-10 player was two years ago, improved in the second set – leading 3-0 and 4-1 – but it was no surprise when Barty took charge again, forcing a tiebreak.
And the 2019 French Open winner charged to as 6-0 lead and although Kerber saved three match points, Barty clinched victory on her fourth opportunity.
“This is incredible,” said Barty, who sealed victory in one hour and 26 minutes at SW19.
“This is as close to a good tennis match as I’ll ever play. Angie brought the best out of me. I’m incredibly proud of myself and my team and now we get a chance on Saturday to try to live out our childhood dream
“I’ve had an incredible journey, ups and downs and everything in between, and I wouldn’t change one moment. It’s been unique, incredible, its been tough. There have been so many things that have led to this moment. I’m enjoying every single minute.
“Being able to play on the final Saturday at Wimbledon is going to be just the best experience ever.”
Kerber – who was on a 10-match winning streak on the grass – had no complaints about her defeat. “I was trying to play my game but she always had a good answer. She played great in important moments. I think that was the key at the end,” she said.
In the other semi-final, former world No 1 Pliskova reached her maiden Wimbledon final after defeating second seed Sabalenka.
The Czech goes into the final looking to capture her first Grand Slam title, having only ever reached one other final when she lost to Angelique Kerber at the 2016 US Open. Pliskova, 29, found it hard going against Sabalenka, the first seeded player she had faced in this year’s tournament, and it showed as she dropped her first set on the only break point she faced with a double fault.
She made inroads on Sabalenka’s booming serve to clinch a break to love midway through the second set from which she served out to level the match.
The 23-year-old Sabalenka, playing in her first major semi-final, struggled for consistency, sending down 18 aces in the match but making 20 unforced errors including one to give up an early break in the first game of the deciding set.
Although the Belarusian rallied, Pliskova never looked in any danger, rarely breaking a sweat on her own serve as she booked her place in Saturday’s showpiece with an ace.
Pliskova had seen her ranking fall out of the top 10 for the first time in nearly five years in the most recent rankings, which were released on the first day of Wimbledon. She will return to the top 10 on Monday.
This is incredible. This is as close to a good tennis match as I’ll ever play. Angie brought the best out of me
ASHLEIGH BARTY
World No 1