A long wait
Ashleigh Barty endured a long wait to achieve Wimbledon success to match her 2011 girls’ title but seeded at The Championships for the first time, the popular Australian suddenly seems in no mood for meandering.
Seven years passed with the Australian unable to register a win at main draw level. And now, with the latest 6-4, 7-5 victory over Eugenie Bouchard, an impressive Barty has two of them.
Barty wasted not a moment in imposing herself on Bouchard – also a former girls’ champion and runner-up in the 2014 ladies’ singles event – as she showcased the best of the crafty grass court ability instilled as a junior.
While every aspect of her performance was a positive one, it’s unlikely that the 22-year-old has ever served as well as in the earliest stage against the Canadian.
There was a pair of aces in Barty’s first service game, and by the next there were three of them. And if it wasn’t an ace it was almost always a service winner for the No.17 seed, who dropped only two points in her first four service games.
Impenetrable on her own serve, the Australian could confidently challenge early. She broke Bouchard to take a 3-1 lead and with further break points in the seventh game, only narrowly missed the opportunity for a 5-2 advantage.
There was a tense turn as four set points went by as Barty served for the opener but after five deuces and two break points saved, she at last seized the set in 38 minutes.
Bouchard fights back
Bouchard provided a further reminder of the world No.5 ranking that followed her 2014 finals run at Wimbledon when she converted on a second set dip from Barty. In the fourth game, she hit three double faults and registered another error, which the fiercely competitive Canadian soon converted into a service break.
But Barty arrived at The Championships as the Nottingham champion and No.17 seed, while the world No.188 Bouchard is a qualifier. And as she also showed in the first set, there was no need for Barty to panic.
Surviving break points in the eighth game, she gained the critical break back as Bouchard served for the second set at 5-3. Helped by a spectacular forehand winner that set up another break point in the 11th game, she won five straight games to seize victory.
Barty finished with nine aces and 27 total winners, helping balance her 19 unforced errors. Most pleasing for the Australian was her comeback from 2-5 down in the second set, bringing happy memories of the 2011 title.
“This is a happy hunting ground. I love playing here. I play well here. Even if I’m not necessarily playing my best leading up you know you feel comfortable on the courts, you know you can play well,” said the Australian.
“When you come a place and you’ve done well here you always feel that you can play well.”
So well, in fact, that former world No.1 Kim Clijsters is among those suggesting that the in-form Barty is warming up as a title favourite.
“I’m just excited to be in the third round for the first time. Kim’s such an amazing woman and a fantastic champion,” smiled the down-to-earth Barty. “It’s really nice to hear those words but for me it’s just about focusing on my next match.”
Without a single set dropped at The Championships this year, Barty does so knowing she can impose her own style.
“I’ve sort of learnt much better over the last 18 months to play with more freedom regardless of whether it’s a first round or a final and just try to play the way that I want to play,” she related.
“I know that if I do that and play to my ability there are a lot of girls out there that I can beat.”
