Ashleigh Barty has become the first Australian in 44 years to win the Australian Open after she overcame USA's Danielle Collins in straight sets in the women's singles summit clash. A 6-3, 7-6 victory saw her put a halt to a four-decade drought for an Australian to win the prestigious tournament. Remarkably she came from 1-5 down in the second set and didn’t lose a single set on her way to glory. The win saw her join the likes of Margaret Court, Chris O'Neil, Evonne Goolagong and others from her homeland to win at the Melbourne Park.
Ruthless start by Barty
Things could not have started on a better note for the no.1 seed, as she kept her serve intact in the first set. Collins did have a break point in the fifth game, but Barty saved and it broke her opponent in the very next game to take a 4-2 lead. A staggering 94 per cent first-serve saw her clinch the first set, giving her opponent no chance.
Collins started on front foot in the second set
A pumped-up Collins, showed no signs of nervousness in the second set as she took a 3-0 lead by winning the first three games of the set. Things only got better for Collins as she raced to a 5-1 lead and broke Barty twice, as the match looked like was heading to a deciding third set.
Barty produces comeback of all comebacks
1-5 down and serving to stay in the set, the Australian crowd got right behind the 25-year-old home favourite. She pulled out every tool in her arsenal to make a remarkable comeback and level the score at 5-5. Collins would eventually hold her serve at 6-5, but Barty made sure that the set was heading to the tiebreaker.
Glory clinched with four championship points
Barty, 1-5 down to 6-6, had momentum on her side and also the support of the home faithful who gathered at the Rod Laver Arena at the Melbourne Park. She would dominate the tiebreak and produce four championship points. Her winner in the 87th minute of the match made sure she brought to an end a 44-year wait to be crowned a home Australian Open champion. Chris O'Neil was the last Australian to win at the Melbourne Park. Remarkably, she also defeated a US star, Betsey Nagelsen in the final.
First Australian Open champion on hard court
Barty's win is the first time that an Australian has won the tournament on hard court. Chris O'Neil's win in 1978 came on the grass-court as the Australian Open used to be a lawn tournament until 1987. Change in surface since 1988, saw no Australian make it to the finals of the singles tournament until 2005. Lleyton Hewitt, who won the Wimbledon in 2002, came close but lost to Marat Safin in the men's singles final.
Post-match reaction
“You guys have been nothing short of exceptional. You relaxed me and forced me to play my best tennis," the 2022 Australian Open champion said in her post-match speech.
“This is just a dream come true. I’m so proud to be an Aussie,” she added.
