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Q. You must be disappointed, but you must have learned a lot from watching Serena out there, as well.
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I don't think 'disappointed' is the right word. It was a fantastic experience for me. I think Serena really showed why she's one of the greatest champions of all time.

I mean, it was an absolute pleasure to be out there and have the chance to play against her.



Q. Did you get any messages from people who watched?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I haven't even started to go through them yet. I'll probably leave that one till tomorrow morning.



Q. What struck you about playing her the most? Was it the power?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I mean, she's just such a great champion. Just the presence she has on the court is unbelievable.

I mean, you really have to respect what she's done in her career. She's such a nice girl, as well, which makes it even better. I mean, it was just awesome to have the opportunity to play against her tonight.

I learned a few things. It's going to be a really good experience for me moving forward.



Q. Was it intimidating?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: No, I don't think so intimidating. She just has that presence on court that makes you want to probably push that little bit harder, gives you a bit of pressure.

But, no, it was a good experience. Yeah, I'm looking forward to watching the tape again and seeing what really happened.



Q. Serves were coming through 190K. How did you prepare for that? Was that the most concerning part of playing Serena?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I don't think anything was really concerning about playing her. It was more an opportunity. We really embraced that.

I have a great hitting partner here in Melbourne, Daniel Burns. He does such a fantastic job with me. He was more than happy to help over the last couple of days in preparing.

I mean, Serena's got one of the greatest serves on tour. I think that goes a long way to why she's No. 1 in the world and a great champion.



Q. You mixed your shots up. Was that the game plan?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I think that's my game. I like to use variety and mix it up. I had the intentions to go out there and continue to play my game, do the best that I can.

I think there's definitely areas that need improvement in my game. I think that, I mean, Serena is someone we can all look up to, to what she's done in her career.

Yeah, it was a really good match. A really positive match for me.



Q. Could you see yourself on Arthur Ashe Stadium at the US Open?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: That would be cool. It's an absolute privilege playing out on Rod Laver Arena. It's one of the greatest stadiums I ever played in. A night session the first night of the Australian Open is pretty special.

Hopefully one day I'll be playing out there when I'm not playing the first seed in the first round. But, yeah, I mean, it was unbelievable to be out there tonight.



Q. What is your earliest memory of Serena?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I don't know actually. I mean, I didn't really start watching tennis until 2008 or '09. I mean, obviously a lot of pictures and things that I've seen. But yeah, I mean, I didn't really watch tennis a lot growing up. I don't really have memories of the more established players or the past players as well.



Q. You were playing, just not watching?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: As a kid, I was just playing in the backyard, going to coaching once or twice a week for probably three or four years. Yeah, I mean, I don't really have any interest in watching the sport. I love to play it. I spend enough time around the tennis courts. I like to chill out and do a few different things.



Q. Serena said she finds you appealing, she would like to see you do well. Did she say anything to you?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I'd like to see myself doing well in the future as well.

After the match she said it was a great match, and I really can't wait to look back on it and watch the tape over and try to really learn a few things.

No.77-ranked Ashleigh Barty is through to the biggest final of her career after taking down Garbiñe Muguruza in three sets at the Aegon Classic Birmingham.

The No.6 seed Muguruza, a former Wimbledon finalist, bossed the first set but couldn’t contain the Aussie as she mounted her comeback to win 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

“I think she played very well,” Muguruza said in her post-match press conference. “She was very smart with the slice, which I think is a difficult shot on the grass.

“Of course I'm disappointed because I thought, you know, I could do the same as the previous matches and get a victory. But I guess the other one played much better today.”

A strong serving performance gave Muguruza the edge in the opening set; she got 81% of her first serves in, firing off three aces and not allowing Barty a look at a break opportunity all set long.

But in the second it was all about Barty’s groundstrokes, as the Aussie honed in on Muguruza’s weakness with her tricky backhand slice.

She broke the Spaniard twice in the final two sets, putting together a daunting 5-1 lead in the decider. Muguruza dodged two match points and recovered one of the breaks to put Barty under pressure as the Aussie bid to reach the second final of her career and her first at the Premier level.

But Barty struck back straight away, breaking Muguruza again and sealing her spot into the Birmingham final after a tight hour and fifty minutes on court.

Barty, the first Australian to reach the final since Jenny Byrne in 1992, will take on the resurgent Petra Kvitova in the title match. The Czech player moved into the final after countrywoman Lucie Safarova was forced to retire due to injury.

“I don't think you can find any tennis player at all who isn't happy to see [Petra] back and genuinely pleased she's back on tour and being successful,” Barty said. “She's one of the nicest girls you'll ever meet, not just in the tennis world. So it's so nice to have her back out on the court.

“Obviously it's a big challenge for me tomorrow. She's won Wimbledon a couple of times and is amazing on grass court as well. So it's going to be a good battle for me.”

Ashleigh Barty zdobyła trzy punkty i poprowadziła Australijki do zwycięstwa nad Ukrainkami w Grupie Światowej II Pucharu Federacji. Włoszki pokonały Hiszpanki.

W Canberze Australia dopiero w deblu wygrała z grającą bez Eliny Switoliny Ukrainę. Rozczarowała Daria Gawriłowa, która doznała dwóch porażek. Nie zawiodła Ashleigh Barty, która wywalczyła trzy punkty. W niedzielę najpierw pokonała 6:2, 6:3 Martę Kostiuk, a następnie zapewniła swojej drużynie zwycięstwo wspólnie z Casey Dellacquą.
Rumunia łatwo poradziła sobie z Kanadą, a dwa punkty zdobyła Irina-Camelia Begu. Włoszki pokonały Hiszpanki, a bohaterką została Deborah Chiesa, która w czwartej grze pokonała 6:4, 2:6, 7:6(7) Larę Arruabarrenę. 21-letnia reprezentantka gospodarzy w III secie wróciła z 1:4, a w tie breaku obroniła piłkę meczową. Wcześniej, w starciu liderek obu ekip, Sara Errani wygrała 6:3, 3:6, 6:3 z Carlą Suarez.

REKLAMA

W Bratysławie Słowaczki rozprawiły się z Rosjankami. W niedzielę Jana Cepelova zastąpiła Magdalena Rybarikova i pokonała 6:4, 6:4 Natalię Wichliancewą. Zwycięstwo drużynie gospodarzy zapewniła Viktoria Kuzmova, która wygrała 3:6, 6:3, 6:4 z Anastazją Potapową.

W kwietniu Słowacja, Australia, Rumunia i Włochy powalczą o awans do Grupy Światowej. Rosja, Ukraina, Kanada i Hiszpania będą bronić się przed spadkiem do strefy kontynentalnej.

Słowacja - Rosja 4:1, AEGON Arena, Bratysława (Słowacja)
I runda Grupy Światowej II, kort twardy w hali
sobota-niedziela, 10-11 lutego

Gra 1.: Viktoria Kuzmova - Natalia Wichliancewa 4:6, 2:6
Gra 2.: Magdalena Rybarikova - Anna Kalinska 5:7, 6:3, 6:4
Gra 3.: Jana Cepelova - Natalia Wichliancewa 6:4, 6:4
Gra 4.: Viktoria Kuzmova - Anastazja Potapowa 3:6, 6:3, 6:4
Gra 5.: Jana Cepelova / Anna Karolina Schmiedlova - Anna Kalinska / Weronika Kudermetowa 6:3, 6:2

REKLAMA

Australia - Ukraina 3:2, Canberra Tennis Centre, Canberra (Australia)
I runda Grupy Światowej II, kort trawiasty
sobota-niedziela, 10-11 lutego

Gra 1.: Ashleigh Barty - Ludmiła Kiczenok 4:6, 6:1,6:4
Gra 2.: Daria Gawriłowa - Marta Kostiuk 6:7(3), 3:6
Gra 3.: Ashleigh Barty - Marta Kostiuk 6:2, 6:3
Gra 4.: Daria Gawriłowa - Nadia Kiczenok 6:4, 2:6, 3:6
Gra 5.: Ashleigh Barty / Casey Dellacqua - Ludmiła Kiczenok / Nadia Kiczenok 6:3, 6:4

Rumunia - Kanada 3:1, Sala Polivalenta, Kluż-Napoka (Rumunia)
I runda Grupy Światowej II, kort twardy w hali
sobota-niedziela, 10-11 lutego

Gra 1.: Sorana Cirstea - Carol Zhao 6:2, 6:2
Gra 2.: Irina-Camelia Begu - Bianca Andreescu 6:3, 6:7(4), 6:2
Gra 3.: Irina-Camelia Begu - Katherine Sebov 6:2, 6:4
Gra 4.: Sorana Cirstea - Bianca Andreescu nie rozgrywano
Gra 5.: Ana Bogdan / Raluca Olaru - Gabriela Dabrowski / Carol Zhao 6:4, 1:6, 6-10