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2020 Australian Open Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Ashleigh Barty vs Lesia Tsurenko |
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Top seed Ashleigh Barty will open her Australian Open campaign against Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine on Rod Laver Arena. Join The Roar for all the action, including live scores and a blog of the match from 7pm (AEDT).
The ‘Barty Party’ will start the first night session of the tournament on centre court, a location Ash should become quite comfortable with this fortnight.
Barty found form at Memorial Drive and defeated Dayana Yastremska to claim the Adelaide International, her first singles title on home soil. In the final, Barty beat the Ukrainian 6-2, 7-5 with her versatile game in a confidence-boosting victory.
While the pressure is on the 23-year-old as the number one seed at her home Grand Slam, Barty appears to be taking it all in her stride, rarely showing frustration and focusing on enjoying her time on court.
In the first round, she faces Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko in a match the Australian will start as the clear favourite.
The 30-year-old has not played in a fortnight, after losing to Elise Mertens in the first round of the Shenzhen Open in China. Without the match practice to start 2020 it’ll be a big challenge for the right-hander coming up against the world no.1.
Tsurenko has four career singles titles to her name, and a career-high ranking of 23 last February.
The pair have played twice before, most recently in the first round of the 2018 Brisbane International, where Barty (no.17 at the time) was stunned in a 6-3, 6-2 loss to Tsurenko.
They had previously met in qualifying for Acapulco in 2014, where a 17-year-old Barty beat Tsurenko 6-0, 6-2.
Now at no.120 in the world, Tsurenko will be aiming to challenge Barty by taking a set. It’s difficult to see the Aussie being troubled, particularly in front of her home crowd.
Prediction
Barty’s slow start to the year after her incredibly successful season in 2019 has gained pace in the last week.
Out-smarting her opponents in Adelaide, the Australian will open her Australia Open campaign in great style on Rod Laver Arena.
Barty to win in straight sets.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from 7pm (AEDT), and be sure to join the conversation below!
Start time: 7pm (AEDT)
Court: Rod Laver Arena
TV: Nine
Online: 9Now
Odds: Barty $1.05, Tsurenko $8.00
Head-to-head: Barty 1-1 Tsurenko
Ranking: Barty 1, Tsurenko 120
Career titles: Barty 8, Tsurenko 1
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Thanks for joining The Roar this evening for Barty's opening round match. Our coverage of matches involving Australians will continue tomorrow, Nick Kyrgios the feature match on Melbourne Arena, not before 7pm AEDT.
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty moves through to the second round of the 2020 Australian Open with a win over Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1. Five breaks of service in the opening set, filled with unlikely unforced errors from Barty. While she felt in control, her execution was poor. Her usual slice was floating out, and the Aussie was overhitting on both sides of her body. Tsurenko capitalised on break point opportunities to take the opening set 5-7. Barty got her game going in the second set and even more so in the third. She found her range on the passing shot and was able to vary her game as she usually does. The Australian's serve was strong, with 10 aces and winning 78% of her first serves. Meanwhile Tsurenko's serve fell apart as the match went on; her ball toss had issues and led to nine double faults. Barty broke twice in the second set and three times in the third to wipe Tsurenko off the court. The top seed's opponent in the second round will be decided tomorrow, after today's rain meant some rescheduling was required. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 6 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 1
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
"Nah it's all good," Ash says regarding the first set scare. "Absolutely incredible (walking onto Rod Laver Arena this evening). Probably the moment I've looked forward to the most in the off season." "The first set was still in my control, it was the execution (that was the issue). I was just rushing it, trying to finish points too quickly." Well she cleaned it up in the second and third to dominate for 6-1, 6-1 sets. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 6 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 1
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Game, Set, Match ASH BARTY. It was a slow start, but Barty has survived a small scare to beat Lesia Tsurenko 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 and move through to the second round of the Australian Open. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 6 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 1
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Three match points now, Tsurenko plays long on her forehand. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 5 | 40 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 1 | 0
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Barty is one game away now from taking the third set and moving through to the second round. Tsurenko misses the volley, off the top and drops on her side. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 5 | 15 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 1 | 0
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Game, Barty. That's a wonderful pass by Barty! Forehand cross, lovely stuff past the racquet of Tsurenko. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 5 | 0 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 1 | 0
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Game points come up for Barty, slice drops low and Tsurenko can't get clean racquet to it. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 4 | 40 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 1 | 15
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Barty misses the whipping forehand, hits it down and into the net. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 4 | 30 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 1 | 15
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Barty serving, second serve... shorter rally, Barty plays the forehand and Tsurenko returns long. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 4 | 15 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 1 | 0
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Game, Tsurenko. Tsurenko holds and she is on the board in the third set. Backhand error from Barty to end the game. Match not over yet, but Barty leads with a double break 4-1. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 4 | 0 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 1 | 0
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Well structured stuff from Barty, gets the forehand winner out of Tsurenko's reach. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 4 | 30 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 0 | 40
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Great shot by Barty, pushing Tsurenko wide... and the backhand is struck into the net. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 4 | 15 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 0 | 15
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Game, Barty. From 0-30 that's a very good hold for Barty. She smashes the return hard into the court for the game. 4-0 lead in the third set. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 4 | 0 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 0 | 0
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Unforced error on the forehand, Tsurenko a little frustrated. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 3 | 40 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 0 | 30
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Barty's serve is good, Tsurenko returns low and into the net. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 3 | 30 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 0 | 30
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Struggling in her service game here Barty, but Tsurenko gifts her a point with a backhand into the net. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 3 | 15 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 0 | 30
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Barty serving, misses the forehand up the line, almost wide of the doubles line. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 3 | 0 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 0 | 30
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Break, Barty. And it's long. Another break here for Ash Barty and she is well and truly ahead in the third set. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 3 | 0 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 0 | 0
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
There's a good passing shot! Backhand just out of the reach of Tsurenko. (1) Barty 5 | 6 | 2 | 40 Tsurenko 7 | 1 | 0 | 0