Ash Barty ends Australia's long wait for Wimbledon women's title

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• Jul 11, 2021 | moderator

London: The world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty became the leading Australian woman to acquire the Wimbledon singles title in 41 years on Saturday when she defeated Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-3 6-7(4) 6-3 in the final.

The 25-year-old Barty, who won her first Grand Slam at Roland Garros in 2019, followed her idol Evonne Goolagong, who claimed the second of her All England Club titles in 1980.

"I hope I made Evonne proud," Barty stated on the court following the trophy presentation. "This is incredible."

Ten years following obtaining the girls' singles title at Wimbledon as a 15-year-old, Barty evolved into Saturday's final, gaining five of the seven competitions she had performed against Pliskova.

She breezed to a 4-0 lead against the former world number one with a double break.

Pliskova appeared all at sea against the Australian's sharply dropping slices and precision hitting but managed a way to claw back into the contest by getting two service breaks back. But the third break of serve gave Barty the opening set.

With tears running down her cheeks, she then climbed into the stands towards her team, a tradition begun by national Pat Cash when he won the men's singles in 1987.

"I said just keep fighting," Barty, whose participation at Wimbledon had been in uncertainty following she retreated from the French Open last month with a hip fracture, stated on the court following receiving the Venus Rosewater Dish from the Duchess of Cambridge.

"So happy for you, our dreams come true, what a fight," four-time Wimbledon champion Laver stated on Twitter.

Not since 1977 had two first-time Wimbledon finalists gone head to head in the women's championship match. But for the first set, only one showed up.