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‘A Lot Of Fun’ – Ash Barty Storms Into Australian Open Semis

The top seed required just over an hour to secure her place in the last four at Melbourne Park.

Published

2 years ago

25/01/2022

Adam Addicott

Image via twitter.com/australianopen

Ash Barty is two wins away from becoming the first the first home player to claim the Women’s Australian Open title in 40 years after producing a dominant display during her quarter-final clash on Tuesday.

The world No.1 experienced little difficulty throughout her 63-minute 6-2, 6-0, triumph over an error-stricken Jessica Pegula who was far from her best. Barty won 81% of her first service points and broke her rival five times en route to her latest victory. She is the only player remaining in this year’s women’s draw who is yet to drop a set in the entire tournament.

“It was solid tonight. I had a lot of fun out here,” Barty said afterwards. “I was able to serve and left quite a lot of forehands in the center of the court. I was happy to take the game on, be aggressive on my forehand and not worry if I missed a couple. As long as I was doing the right thing and I felt that I was able to do that throughout the match.”

21st seed Pegula posed a stern test for Barty coming into the match and had recorded a series of notable wins following their meeting in the first round of the 2019 French Open. Since the start of 2021 the American has recorded eight wins over a top 10 player and also reached the last eight at Melbourne Park 12 months ago. In the previous round she beat fifth seed Maria Sakkari.

However, it was the world No.1 who got off to the dominant start in their latest encounter by fighting back from a 40-0 deficit to break Pegula in the opening game. Capitalizing on what was some lopsided play coming from across the court, Barty extended her lead later in the set by securing a double break. Using her slice to force Pegula out wide, a backhand shot from her crashed into the net which gifted the top seed her second break for a 5-2 lead. After just 35 minutes of play the home favorite secured the opener with a perfectly placed ace down the center of the court.

It was a case of deja vu in the second frame with Barty once again breaking instantly against her growingly frustrated opponent. Comfortably in the lead, the top seed began hitting more loosely as she continued to dominate the match with her tactics of the slice and hitting deep towards the baseline. From then on, the match was a foregone conclusion as the two-time Grand Slam champion raced towards the finish line.

“Jess is an incredible person. I love to test myself against her and she came out here and made me play my best tennis so far this week,” Barty said of Pegula. “A credit to her, she had an exceptional couple of years and she is definitely a top 20 player. She deserves to be in these later ends of the slams and she still has a few more to come, that’s for sure.”

Barty will next take on Madison Keys who has already beaten three seeded players in Melbourne Park this year. Keys’ latest triumph was over reigning French Open champion Barbora Krejčíková who she beat 6-3, 6-2. The 26-year-old is through to the last four of a major tournament for the first time since 2018.

“It is so nice to have Maddie (Keys) back playing her best tennis. She is a top player and she deserves to be at the top of our game,” Barty commented. “I know she had a rough time last year with injury and illness.’
“I’ve had plenty of battles with Maddie before. We’ve had the Fed Cup, played in all different circumstances and this (their upcoming match) is just going to add to it. I can’t wait, I know it is going to be a good one.”

It is the second time in Barty’s Career she has reached the Australian Open semi-finals after 2020.

Related Topics:2022 Australian Open Ash Barty

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Stefanos Tsitsipas beats Sebastian Ofner in Barcelona to extend his winning streak

Published

4 hours ago

17/04/2024

sampaolo

Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Sebastian Ofner 6-4 7-5 at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell to extend his winning streak to seven consecutive matches after claiming his third title at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters last week.

Tsitsipas earned an immediate break in the first game. Ofner broke straight back to draw level to 1-1. Tsitsipas earned his second break in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead and served out the first set 6-4 with a hold at 15.

Tsitsipas broke in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Ofner won three consecutive games with two breaks of serve to take a 5-3 lead. Tsitsipas came back by winning four consecutive games with two breaks of serve to seal the second set 7-5.

Tsitsipas has a record of 17 wins to 5 defeats in Barcelona. The Greek player reached three finals at this tournament in 2018, 2021 and 2023.

“I feel pretty good, but it is still early in the tournament. The conditions here are very different to Monte-Carlo and I felt it today when I was playing. My job is to adapt and to ensure I can bring my A game again in Barcelona this week. Today was a great test to see where I stand. I am hoping to keep on improving and getting good wins like this under my belt”, said Tsitsipas.

Tsitssipas set up a third round match against Roberto Carballes Baena, who beat Lorenzo Musetti 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 in 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Musetti saved three break points in the first game of the opening set. The Italian player earned two break points with a backhand down the line. Musetti saved two break points in the seventh game. Both players went on serve un the 12^th game when Carballes Baena saved a set point. Carballes Baena went up a 5-1 lead with two mini-breaks in the tie-break. Musetti won three consecutive points to reduce to 4-5. Carballes Baena won the final two points to take the tie-break 7-4.

Carballes Baena converted his fourth break point in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead. Musetti broke back in the fifth game. Carballes Baena saved a break point in the sixth game. The Spanish player sealed the win with a break on his second match.

Last week’s Monte-Carlo finalist Casper Ruud beat Alexandre Muller 6-3 6-4 to claim his 25^th tour-level win of the season. Ruud has drawn level with Jannik Sinner for the most wins in 2024 on the ATP Tour.

Ruud set up a third round match against Jordan Thompson, who beat Jaume Munar 6-4 2-4 6-4. Roberto Bautista Agut beat Andrea Vavassori 4-6 6-4 6-1 to claim his milestone 400th match win on the ATP Tour. Bautista Agut set up a third round match against Cameron Norrie.

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Roberto Bautista Agut wins his milestone 400th match on the ATP Tour

Published

7 hours ago

17/04/2024

sampaolo

Roberto Bautista Agut came back from one set down to beat Australian Open doubles finalist Andrea Vavassori 4-6 6-3 6-1 after 2 hours and 1 minute at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.

Vavassori earned an early break in the first game. The Italian player earned three break points in the seventh game, but Bautista Agut saved them. The Spanish player broke straight back in the eighth game. Vavassori broke again in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead and saved two break points before closing out the first set 6-4 on his second set point.

Both players went on serve in the first four games of the second set. Vavassori earned a break point in the fifth game, but he did not convert it. Bautista Agut broke serve in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead and did not face any break points to win the second set 6-3.

Bautista Agut broke three times to cruise through to a 6-1.

Bautista Agut reached the 400^th milestone win on the ATP Tour. The Spanish player has become the 13^th active player with at least 400 ATP Tour wins. He achieved 20 wins against members of the top 10, ten wins against top 5 players and four against world number 1s. Bautista Agut is one of the nine players, who have beaten Novak Djokovic as World number 1 more than twice.

“For me it’s just a number. The important thing is that I have done great work over these years, that I have a very consistent career, a career that I can feel proud of “, said Bautista Agut.

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Martina Trevisan beats Naomi Osaka to reach the second round in Rouen

Published

7 hours ago

17/04/2024

sampaolo

Martina Trevisan upset former world number 1 Naomi Osaka 6-4 6-2 in the opening round of the Open Capfinances Rouen Metropole.

Osaka has played her first clay-court match since Roland Garros 2022, where she lost to Amanda Anisimova. The Japanese player has not won a match on clay since beating Anastasia Potapova in the first round of the Madrid Mutua Open in 2022. She helped Japan beat Kazakhstan in the Billie Jean King Cup.

Trevisan reached the quarter final in 2020 and the semifinal in 2022 at Roland Garros. The former world number 18 won her only title in Rabat in 2022. She reached the quarter finals of the Zaragoza ITF 100 tournament.

Both players traded breaks in the first two games. Osaka earned two break points at 3-2 and three more chances at 4-3, but she was not able to convert them. Trevisan broke serve in the ninth game following a series of forehand errors.

Trevisan broke twice in the third and seventh games and served out the win on her first match point.

Sixteen-year-old Mirra Andreeva beat Elina Avanesyan 7-5 6-4 in 1 hour and 41 minutes to reach her second quarter final of 2024.

Andreeva went up a break in the seventh game, but Avanesyan pulled back on serve to draw level to 4-4. Andreeva broke for the second time in the 11^th game to win the second set 7-5. Andreeva broke in the first game to open up a 2-0 lead. Avanesyan converted her third break-back point in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Andreeva broke serve at love in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Avanesyan broke back in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Andreeva broke for the third time in the ninth game and served out the win on her second match point after saving two break points.