WIMBLEDON, July 8: It might have been difficult for Ash Barty to imagine that a trip to her first Wimbledon final was just around the corner when she stopped playing at last month’s French Open because of an injured hip.
Or even when she was two points from being pushed to a third set by Angelique Kerber in their semifinal at the All England Club.
In the other semifinal, eighth-seed Karolina Pliskova beat second-seed Aryna Sabalenka in three sets to move to her first Wimbledon final as she pursuits her first major title.
The Czech came from a set down after the Belarus player took the opener 7:5, and went on to win two sets 6:4. For the 29-year-old eighth seed it is her second Grand Slam final
“It sounds amazing to be in the final as I never got past the fourth round here before,” said Pliskova.
Barty does not let obstacles trouble her for too long. She figures out a way. That’s why she’s ranked No. 1 and now stands one win from a second Grand Slam title after beating 2018 champion Kerber 6-3, 7-6 (3) on Thursday.
Barty is the first woman from Australia to reach the title match at the grass-court major since Evonne Goolagong in 1980.
The opponent Saturday will be No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka or No. 8 Karolina Pliskova. They met in the second semifinal.
The 25-year-old Barty won the 2019 French Open for her first Grand Slam title. It was a rather entertaining and, from point to point, rather even contest, two talented baseliners willing to try a volley, drop shot or lob when required. They were each other’s equal for long exchanges — in all, 22 points lasted at least nine strokes, with Kerber winning a dozen.
Their approaches are different, though. Kerber is a left-hander who hits flat groundstrokes and is just fine with handling foes’ low shots, often dropping a knee onto the turf to get leverage.
Barty is a righty who relies on heavy topspin for a forehand packed with power, and her slice backhand can produce tricky bounces on the grass.
The Australian eventually ended up with an 8-0 edge in aces and 18-9 in forehand winners.
Karolina Pliskova will play top-seed Ashleigh Barty in the final. (AP)
