Will it be the Ashleigh Barty party at Melbourne?

     Coming off a great 2019 season, Ashleigh Barty has won four out of six finals and might have thought her road to the Brisbane International would be smooth and comforting. It wasn't. Someone named Jennifer Brady came along and changed her mind, putting up a superb performance and dismantling Barty in the first round. "It was beautiful to play out there on Pat Rafter Arena. It's one of my favourite courts in the world...obviously we were prepared and did everything ready, we just didn't get result today," was all Barty could re-banter when asked about her performance. It was her American opponent who was just glad she could have the goods over Barty and simply smiled saying "It's a little bit surreal. I'm superstoked and I'm shaking a little bit, but I really played well today."

     After Brisbane, Ash Barty must have promised herself to pour on the extra strategies and stay tough because her cake and ice cream will be coming. Adelaide would be the last tournament before the Melbourne Slam and Barty proved that one hiccup doesn't mean that she's down and out. It was on her route to the final she won a three-battled set with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and won in straight sets with Marketa Vondrousova. Danielle Collins tried to get the best of her and did at first with grabbing the opening set in the semifinal round. But one set does not a match make. Barty slammed her strategies and determination at Collins to win the second and final set to speed to the final. 

     The meeting of Dayana Yastremska might have proved to Barty not to take things for granted. It took only 30 minutes for the Queensland lady to win the first set. She took a bag full of confidence with her in the second set and didn't predict the young, lean Ukrainian to fight back. Yastremska hung tight with Barty as the score went to 5-all, but the Barty blasting and spinning had hit an all-time high before it was all over for the Ukraine. Ashleigh Barty had won the Adelaide title and more confidence in herself leading to the Australian Open. "It's been an absolute pleasure playing her in Adelaide...Congratulations to Dayana and your team, it's been amazing...I'm sure we'll have many more matches in the future...I definitely feel the love out here," a beaming Barty said. The love had spilled all over and for the no. 1 Australian she's carrying it all with her into the first Slam of the season.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2RCJ2IV