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Ash Barty has claimed her second Adelaide International title in three years to complete a perfect start to her 2022 season.
The world No.1 underlined her firming Australian Open title favouritism with an emphatic 6-3 6-2 win over 14th-ranked Elena Rybakina on Sunday.
Her straight-sets victory over the Kazakh improved Barty’s record against top-20 rivals to a super impressive 17-1 since the beginning of last year.
The top-seeded home hope also beat teenage prodigy Coco Gauff, 2020 Australian Open champion Sofin Kenin and 2020 French Open winner Iga Swiatek en route to lifting a 14th trophy of her career.
Barty will head to this week’s Sydney Tennis Classic brimming with confidence ahead of the Open starting on January 17.
Buzzing to be back ⚡️@ashbarty #AdelaideTennis pic.twitter.com/gQ1WliZyg8
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 9, 2022
One of the heaviest hitters in women’s tennis, Rybakina challenged Barty early, rocketing down the fastest serve of the tournament as games went with serve until 3-3.
Barty found herself double break point down at 15-40 in the seventh game.
But, as she has done all tournament, the world No.1 produced her best tennis while under the gun to hold serve with an ace, an induced error and two huge crosscourt forehands.
Frustrated at missing her moment, Rybakina dropped her own serve the very next game with a flurry of unforced errors as Barty forged to a 5-3 lead.
Champion at Memorial Drive in 2020 also, Barty closed out the set to love after 29 minutes.
Momentum firmly on her side, Barty gained another break in the opening game of the second set as Rybakina’s double-faulting proved costly.
The match was all but over when Barty clinched the double break to power to a 4-0 lead, before Rybakina formally submitted after just 64 minutes.
Wimbledon champion Barty has the chance to complete a tournament double when she teams with fellow Australian Storm Sanders in Sunday night’s doubles final against Darija Jurak Schreiber and Andreja Klepac.
"Look out Australian Open!" ????
The moment Ash Barty won WTA singles title no. 1️⃣4️⃣. Is this the best she's looked coming into the grand slam? ????
Watch: @Channel9
Blog: https://t.co/1sDLTOy4Se
Stream: https://t.co/e8QuuI0cME#9WWOS #Tennis #AdelaideInternational pic.twitter.com/cI8vfw4T5b— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) January 9, 2022
Former Wimbledon semi-finalist Jelena Dokic said in commentary it was best she had seen Barty play this early in the year.
“This is the best, to me, that she’s looked, going in to the Australian Open,” Dokic said on Channel 9.
“She’s looking confident, she’s looking sharp, she’s looking fitter than ever. The serve, an improvement has been made.
“She was on the road for eight months last year.
“She left in March, she came back end of October. And I think the break she had in Australia, she spent time with her nieces, her dogs. She loves that.
“She did a really good pre-season. I think that’s helped her so much. She got that confidence from winning Wimbledon. That’s just huge.
“It’s as good as I’ve seen her early in the year. She’s been phenomenal this week.”
Meanwhile, Amanda Anisimova has rallied to defeat Aliaksandra Sasnovich 7-5 1-6 6-4 at the Melbourne Summer Set to claim her second career WTA title.
The American 20-year-old came from 2-4 down in the first set and 0-3 in the decider to clinch the trophy and net her first title in almost three years.
Anisimova broke down in tears on her exit from the 2020 Australian Open, her first major since the sudden death of her father.
A French Open semi-finalist and former world No.21, the current No.78 returned to some of her best form at Rod Laver Arena.
“I want to thank Melbourne, I always love playing here and I’m super excited for a couple more amazing weeks here,” she said.
“Tennis can be a difficult journey at times but I’m so happy and grateful to have the people in my life I have.
“Last year was very difficult and they (mum and sister) stood by me all the way. It’s so good to start the year in such a good place, I’m super grateful.”
Simona Halep and Veronika Udermetova will contest the other Summer Set final later on Sunday, the new tournaments a compromise in the COVID-19 impacted build-up to this month’s Australian Open.
© AAP
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