Triumphant Ashleigh Barty - "So proud to be an Aussie"
Ashleigh Barty lives up to her role as favorite and wins the Australian Open. It's the first home win Down Under since 1978.
by SID
last edit: Jan 29, 2022, 02:33 pm
When the decades of suffering in which Rod Laver came to an end to deafening jubilation, Ashleigh Barty also let go of all restraint. The number one in the tennis world threw back his head and roared out his joy like mad - the immense pressure of expectation of an entire nation fell from their shoulders and the big Barty party in Melbourne could start. For the first time in 44 years, the proud sporting nation of Australia once again has a winner at its home Grand Slam.
"It's just a dream that came true. I'm so proud to be an Aussie," said Barty after the 6: 3, 7: 6 (7: 2) against the US surprise Danielle Collins. From the hands of her great idol Evonne Goolagong Cawley, herself a four-time Australian Open winner and, like Barty, with indigenous roots, she beamed and accepted the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.
The 25-year-old from Queensland had never been so emotional at any of her Grand Slam titles as after the match point - neither in 2019 with the premiere win at the French Open, nor in the previous year at the classic in Wimbledon. "It all came out at once, it was a very special moment," Barty said. But already in her winning speech on the court, she showed all that modesty again, for which the Australians love their "Ash" so much.
Barty stirred at the award ceremony
She congratulated Collins, thanked the organizers, referees, ball children and fans, and addressed loving words to her parents and sisters in the stands. In the greatest moment of her career, she hardly wanted to say a word about her own outstanding achievements. "I'm so lucky to have so many people here who love and support me," Barty said, touched.
In the Rod Laver Arena, the cheering of almost 12,000 fans knew no bounds, in front of the stadium thousands celebrated their heroine without a ticket. After Australia's finest hour, legend Rod Laver and Christine O'Neil, who was the last Australian to win a home game in 1978, also rose from their seats in the stands.
In her third Grand Slam final, however, Barty was always nervous after she had rushed through the tournament brilliantly. However, she initially countered Collins' power with cleverness and variability.
Kyrgios and Kokkinakis deliver show
But even after losing the first set, the number 30 in the world didn't give up, even took a 5-1 lead, benefiting from simple mistakes by Barty, and served to win the set. But then Barty turned it up and with the frenetic audience behind him, there was no stopping him. And just a few hours later, show doubles Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis rounded off an Australian tennis holiday by winning the title against compatriots Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell.
Barty had been the big favorite since the first day of the tournament, with a whole nation expecting the title - a pressure she had not always withstood in her career. After the US Open 2014, she took a burnt-out break, played professional cricket at home and found the fun in the sport again.
In 2020, as at the end of last season, Barty also took longer breaks to be able to spend more time with her family during the corona pandemic. Barty draws a lot of strength from these breaks, on Monday she starts her 113th week as the leader in the world rankings - only six players managed more.
Collins, on the other hand, missed her first major title in her first major final. But the strong performances in Melbourne are the greatest success of her career - because the 28-year-old has struggled with two chronic diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and endometriosis, in recent years. Despite the defeat, she will move into the top 10 of the rankings for the first time on Monday and be placed as the best American.
Here is the women's individual tableau
laver arena