She’s the host nation’s highest seed at the Australian Open, and world No.18 Ashleigh Barty will be hoping to justify that when she takes on rising star Aryna Sabalenka in the first round. Join The Roar for live scores, analysis and point-by-point coverage from around 9pm (AEDT).
After a stellar 2017 which saw her rise from relative obscurity to winning the John Newcombe Medal as the country’s finest player, 21-year-old Barty has already seen plenty of ups and downs in a rollercoaster start to 2018.
A first-round loss at the Brisbane International, her home tournament, to Lesia Tsurenko on New Year’s Day was hardly an ideal way to start, but she quickly roared back to form at the Sydney International just a week later.
A barnstorming run – a regular occurrence for Barty in the last 12 months – saw her take out countrywoman Daria Gavrilova in the semi-final, before being denied a second WTA title by in-form German Angelique Kerber, losing in straight sets.
Despite the loss, Barty is in red-hot form and having reached the third round at Melbourne Park last year, has a history of performing well at her home slam.
At just 19 years of age, Belarusian teenager Aryna Sabalenka is one of the youngest players in the main draw at the Australian Open, but don’t let her age fool you – she’s already had plenty of experience at the top level.
A second-round appearance at Wimbledon might be her only grand slam appearance to date, but the rising star turned heads in November’s Fed Cup Final against the United States.
In a massive boilover, Sabalenka defeated reigning US Open champion Sloane Stephens in three sets to level the best-of-five series 1-all and while losses to Coco Vandeweghe in the singles and Shelby Rogers and Vandeweghe again in the doubles saw the States take the Cup 3-2, she’d already done enough to announce her arrival on the world stage.
This year’s Open marks the first time she hasn’t had to qualify for a Grand Slam and ranked world No.66, you wouldn’t put a boilover past her.
Prediction
Sabalenka is no easy first-round opponent, but an in-form Barty has few weaknesses, and that should be enough to get her over the line. It won’t be a walkover though.
Barty in straight sets.
It was a fantastic Day 1 for Australia with Daria Gavrilova, Olivia Rogowska, Nick Kyrgios, John Millman and Matt Ebden all progressing to the second round (Ebden upsetting 16th-seeded American John Isner), and Barty will be hoping she can continue to please the Rod Laver Arena fans.
Can our Ash live up to her reputation and progress to the second round? Or will the unknown Belarusian cause an upset?
Tune into The Roar for live coverage of all the action from around 9pm (AEDT) and remember to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Tim Miller
Editor
Well, that's it from me tonight. Thanks for staying on for an enthralling match, or if you're reading tomorrow morning, for choosing The Roar for all your live sport. Ashleigh Barty moves into the second round by outlasting Aryna Sabalenka to win 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-4. After seven Australians, including Alex De Minaur and Jordan Thompson, bowed out today, she's broken the duck for the host nation. Barty will play hard-hitting Italian Camilla Giorgi in the second round on Thursday night. Do look out for The Roar's live coverage of everything Australian Open in the next fortnight. Until we meet again, dear friends!
Tim Miller
Editor
"I knew it was coming, but it was a bit louder than I thought," Barty says on Sabalenka's grunting. "I'm just happy to get through and into the second round."
Tim Miller
Editor
An absolute privilege to watch these two go hammer and tong for a little over two hours. Sabalenka looked to have the edge in power when she dominated Barty late in the first set to take it in a tie-break after conceding the early break. But Barty kept chipping away, defending grimly, and in the end, Sabalenka made too many mistakes and the Aussie hit too many winners. The longer the match went on, the more Barty's experience and nerveless striking gave her the edge.
Tim Miller
Editor
GAME, SET AND MATCH BARTY Ashleigh Barty defeats Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-4 She's got it! Good wide serve and Sabalenka can only stretch a forehand into the net. 15-0 Sabalenka sees the second serve and moves to blast a winner down the line, but mistimes badly and sends the ball well wide. The end looks near now. 30-0 Another simple second serve, Sabalenka looks to slice her forehand but can only send it into the net. 3 match points now. 40-0 Sabalenka powers a forehand down the line, it's called out. Is that the match? She challenges, Barty looks a bit nervous, and it's in! Sabalenka saves one of them. 40-15 But she gets it this time! Another ace, fittingly down the T, and the crowd erupts for Ash!
Tim Miller
Editor
GAME SABALENKA Sabalenka 4-6 Barty Barty will serve for the match after this. Barty sends an attempted return right to the baseline long. 15-0 Now a powerful serve down the T, an ace. 30-0 Strong serve down the T, Sabalenka follows up with a drop shot, Barty does well to get there but Sabalenka covers the return and nudges the winner away. 40-0 Ash gets one back and the crowd cheers as she wallops a forehand winner down the line. 40-15 Barty sees Sabalenka trying to come up into the court and fires in a forehand to the baseline, but it goes narrowly long. Barty will have to serve this one out.
Tim Miller
Editor
GAME BARTY Sabalenka 3-5 Barty Lovely serve down the T from Barty earns her another ace. 15-0 Sabalenka not covering the court as well as she was earlier, Barty fires a cross-court backhand just past her desperate lunge. She would have got that in the first two sets. 30-0 Sabalenka recovers well, though, pouncing on a short return from Sabalenka and whipping the cross-court forehand away. 30-15 Good serve, again down the T, Sabalenka forced to lob and Barty puts away the winner with a forehand down the line. 40-15 And she's just a solitary hold away now as Sabalenka mistimes her return of serve and blasts it well wide.
Tim Miller
Editor
GAME SABALENKA Sabalenka 3-4 Barty Sabalenka holds, but is it too late? Brilliant again from Sabalenka, Barty sends her wide but she gets an outrageous angle on her return, and Barty's desperate stretch can only send the ball long. 15-0 Barty again overpowered as she mistimes a backhand into the net. 30-0 Good wide serve from Sabalenka, and Barty's stretched forehand goes well wide. 40-0 Barty gets some luck as a powerful backhand from Sabalenka hits the net and lobs up, and Barty puts away the cross-court forehand. 40-15 Sabalenka has Barty on the wrong side of the court as she goes for an inside-out backhand down the line, but it goes marginally wide. 40-30 An ace right to the line does the job, though, as Sabalenka continues to fight.
Tim Miller
Editor
GAME BARTY Sabalenka 2-4 Barty Barty consolidates! Great first serve from Barty, deep and wide right to the corner, and Sabalenka's desperate lob goes long! 30-0 Wide serve again from Barty, Sabalenka returns but Barty wrong-foots her with a forehand to the Belarusian's own dominant side, and she shanks her surprised return into the net. 40-0 Sabalenka wins one back with a powerful return right to the baseline that Barty can only half-volley long. 40-15 But she's consolidated the break now, and Sabalenka looks like she might have run out of steam as Barty sends a cross-court backhand past her, and she doesn't even make a move to cover it.
Tim Miller
Editor
GAME BARTY Sabalenka 2-3 Barty Barty breaks! Well, how big was that hold the game before? The crowd cheers again as Sabalenka nets her forehand return. 0-15 Barty sends a forehand return long. 15-15 The crowd tells you the story either way, here they cheer as Sabalenka's backhand goes wide. 15-30 Both players slug from the baseline before Barty tries a slice, Sabalenka steps in and responds in kind but the ball hits the net! Massive moment in this game; 2 break points for the Aussie. 15-40 AND A DOUBLE FAULT! Second serve hits the net from Sabalenka, the crowd explodes with delight, and Barty has a break in the decider!
Tim Miller
Editor
GAME BARTY Sabalenka 2-2 Barty Sabalenka's power-packed backhand return is too much for Barty to handle, spooning a backhand meekly into the net. 0-15 Sabalenka sees a short serve from Barty and her eyes light up, but again she hits it too hard and mistimes badly into the base of the net. 15-15 The crowd's cheers tell you the story, Sabalenka draws Barty up to the net and then goes for the backhand winner down the line, but sends it just long. 30-15 Again Sabalenka's power helps her as a forehand kisses the line. 30-30 Awesome from Sabalenka, gets Barty on the back foot with a perfect wide lob and seizes the advantage, sends Barty wide before creaming the forehand winner down the line. 30-40 But she saves the break point with an ace down the T! 40-40 And again! The T proving the winner for Barty tonight, swinging and Sabalenka can't touch it. AD-40 Sabalenka brings it back to deuce with a perfect wide backhand that forces the lob, she steps it and smashes the backhand before it bounces into open court. 40-40 Superb defence from Barty, Sabalenka throws everything at her before coming up to the net after meeting nothing but defence, Barty pounces and goes for a wide low return, and Sabalenka's volley can't make it over the net! AD-40 Deuce again as Sabalenka pounces on a short serve and wallops it away. 40-40 Tries to do the same thing again, does Sabalenka, but no success as her backhand hammers into the net. AD-40 Too good from Sabalenka again, Barty gets some luck as her stretched forehand kisses the tape and balloons up, but the Belarusian steps in and clatters an inside-out forehand away. 40-40 Sabalenka has Barty wide with a well-angled forehand, she goes for the jugular on the return with a powerful forehand down the line, but it's out! She challenges, but no avail, it's clearly out. AD-40 She holds, but not without a fight, as a good serve sees Sabalenka send her return into the net. Crowd rises again!
Scott Pryde
Expert
I never want to watch Sabalenka play again with the volume up. Ears are ringing.
Tim Miller
Editor
GAME SABALENKA Sabalenka 2-1 Barty Too good from Sabalenka, she shows off her power as she hammers a forehand down the line into open court. 15-0 Barty mistimes her return of serve, the power's too much as it sails long. 30-0 Another sparkling ace down the T brings about a roar of triumph. 40-0 Again goes down the T on her serve, but as Barty returns, she overhits her forehand and it goes well long of the baseline. 40-15 Deft touch from Sabalenka, she has Barty going wide before coming into the net, Barty goes for the pass down the line but Sabalenka covers it and volleys well for the winner. Still nowhere near finding one who's going to win this one.
Tim Miller
Editor
GAME BARTY Sabalenka 1-1 Barty Some heavy hitting from both players but the groan from the crowd tells the story, Barty shanks a backhand return into the net. 0-15 Brilliant from Barty! The point of the match I reckon. Sabalenka draws her in then goes for the lob, but Barty gets back in time and tries a lob of her own, and it's superbly placed just out of the Belarusian's reach! 15-15 Barty wins another point as Sabalenka sends her return out. 30-15 Good defence from Barty off a superb return right to the line from Sabalenka, she lobs but right back to the baseline, Sabalenka's overhead smash sails narrowly long! 40-15 And an ace, one of plenty tonight for Ash, finishes it as she fires a serve down the T that Sabalenka can't touch.
Tim Miller
Editor
GAME SABALENKA Sabalenka 1-0 Barty Sabalenka comes up for the smash but mistimes it completely, it hits the handle and miraculously lobs in! 30-15 Sabalenka's been hitting the ball powerfully all night, but here she takes a bit off her backhand return, Barty can't correct and she sends her forehand into the net. 40-15 Double-fault now from Sabalenka. 40-30 Barty looks to have Sabalenka on the ropes as she's running all about the court, but she mistimes a forehand long, and Sabalenka roars in triumph!
Tim Miller
Editor
GAME, SECOND SET BARTY Barty 6-4 Sabalenka Ashleigh Barty takes the second set! The crowd cheers as Sabalenka nets a backhand return. 3 points away from a decider. 15-0 Good wide kicker of a second serve from Barty, Sabalenka lunges but sends her backhand long and wide. 30-0 She's not giving up this set without a fight, though. Awesome striking sends Barty very wide, forces the lob, the smash is hit by Barty but the return can't make it to the net. 30-15 Set point now from Barty thanks to an unreturnable serve down the T. 40-15 And finishes it with an ace, again down the T! The crowd cheers, and we're going to a third!
Tim Miller
Editor
GAME SABALENKA Barty 5-4 Sabalenka Again Sabalenka errs by trying to hit it too hard, completely mistiming a forehand into the net about halfway up. She's got to reign herself in a bit here. 0-15 Barty goes for a big forehand down the line, but it kisses the net and lobs up, Sabalenka comes in and sends a cross-court backhand to Barty's forehand, she tries a lob but it goes long. A bit of luck for Sabalenka. 15-15 And the crowd begins to mimic Sabalenka's grunting noises, the umpire asks them to respect the players. A mistimed forehand from Barty after some heavy striking from both players, the ball goes well wide. 30-15 Sabalenka continues to hang on as Barty nets a backhand. 40-15 Barty get some good spin and drift on her sliced return, it dips alarmingly on Sabalenka and as a result, her own sliced return goes into the net. 40-30 But it doesn't matter, Sabalenka has Barty haring all over the court before coming into the net for the kill, Barty lobs but Sabalenka covers and smashes the winner away. She holds, but Barty will serve for the set next.
Mark higginbottom
Guest
Sabalenka surely future world number 1 reminds me of a young Steffi Graff ?
Tim Miller
Editor
GAME BARTY Barty 5-3 Sabalenka The Aussie consolidates... Too good from Sabalenka, she sends a forehand right to the line and an under-pressure Barty can only backhand into the net. 15-30 With the opening staring her in the face, Barty gets it back level with a thunderous ace down the T. 30-30 And she holds her nerve again with another good serve, again down the T, and Sabalenka can only send her hurried return into the net! 40-30 She survives the scare with some sensational serving, another down the T and Sabalenka sends her return long!
Tim Miller
Editor
GAME BARTY Barty 4-3 Sabalenka Barty breaks again! My word, this is some enthralling match. Wide serve from Sabalenka and Barty mistimes her forehand into the net. 15-0 Awesome placement from Barty, Sabalenka goes for the drop slice but Barty's on it in a flash, before delicately nudging the winner down the line. Literally, because it just kissed the chalk (or is it paint nowadays? Chalk sounds better anyway.) 15-15 Sabalenka has Barty running all round the court again, she comes in slightly and the Belarusian sends her back again, and her stretched backhand over her shoulder goes wide. 30-15 A double-fault for Sabalenka as a second serve goes long. One of, if not the, first of those for the night for her. 30-30 But she makes amends with a big serve down the T, Barty can only get a racquet to it but can't send it back. 40-30 Barty has a little chance here, Sabalenka looks to serve and volley but Barty sends in a low return that she can only send back wide. 40-40 Break points now for Barty as Sabalenka sends an attempted cross-court forehand into the net. Crowd is up again. 40-AD Great serve deep and wide from Sabalenka, plenty of power too, and Barty can only send her return long. 40-40 Now Sabalenka looks to slice, a rare attempt for her tonight, and she can't get it right, sending it long. 40-AD And she gets the break now! Good disciplined tennis, she just bunts a cramped return back, Sabalenka goes for the cross-court forehand but Barty guesses right, gets there and with Sabalenka up to the net, unleashes a passing forehand down the line to move ahead in this engrossing second set!
Tim Miller
Editor
GAME BARTY Barty 3-3 Sabalenka Good wide serve that Sabalenka can only return at full stretch well wide. 15-0 Sabalenka goes for the backhand down the line into open court, but can't get enough height on it as it kisses the net before lobbing up and bouncing back in her own half. 30-0 A double fault, and again a bad time for one, as Barty sends a second serve into the net. 30-15 Sabalenka's only weakness tonight is trying to hit the ball too hard, and again that's her downfall as she looks to smash a backhand down the line, only to send it well long. 40-15 And a good wide serve sees Sabalenka return into the net, and she has a crucial hold.