Australian Open: who can end the barty party?
Ashleigh Barty has been in top form at the Australian Open so far. Anything but a tournament victory for the world number one seems difficult to imagine at the moment.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit: Jan 26, 2022, 08:34 pm
When Ashleigh Barty enters the Rod Laver Arena these days, the winner seems already to have been determined. So far, the world number one has been too varied, too powerful, too clarified to even raise any doubts about the outcome of one of their matches. This is also underpinned by a look at the numbers: the Australian has only lost 17 games in five games so far.
On Thursday, Madison Keys will be preparing to end Barty's dream of home Grand Slam triumph. The US-American, who was recently hit hard, also had a strong start to the season and picked up the trophy immediately before the Australian Open in Adelaide, but Barty is now by far the best player on the women's tour. Only in the very first game of the season against Cori Gauff did the world number one lose a set.
Barty can make history
However, it is not to be expected that Barty could fail against Keys due to pressure from the home crowd - since Christine "Chris" O'Neil has not won an Australian in Melbourne in 1978. On the contrary: the support of the fans seems to inspire the 25-year-old. "I just love playing at the Australian Open," Barty said after her quarter-final win over Jessica Pegula.
The American, however, had bad news for the rest of the field after her defeat. "She just does everything a little better than everyone else, I think. Even in women's tennis, she plays more like a man. Maybe a different style that we're not used to playing day in, day out," said Pegula.
Swiatek against Barty without winning a set
The same applies to Iga Swiatek, who will play her semi-final against Danielle Collins. While Barty regularly drives her opponents to despair with a varied game, the Pole puts her stamp on her games primarily with her powerful topsin shots. Against Barty, however, Swiatek has not won a set in two games.
Collins and Keys, on the other hand, were able to celebrate at least once against Barty despite a negative record (1: 3 and 1: 2 respectively). In any case, another victory in Melbourne would be a big surprise - and would bring the Barty party to an abrupt end.
To the women's individual tableau
laver arena