Google News Ashleigh Barty sees off Danielle Collins in the final to win Australian Open title
by ABBEY JOHNSON | VIEW 2389
Ashleigh Barty came from down two breaks of serve in the second set to defeat Danielle Collins 6-3, 7-6(2) in the final and win the 2022 Australian Open title. The 25-year-old remained calm throughout the match, even when down two service breaks, but let all her pent-up aggression out after hitting a winner to secure the match after an hour and 27 minutes.
Both players began the match by serving on a dominant note. Collins’ taking the ball early and sending it back with power and speed forced Barty on the backfoot and the Australian mistimed a few of her shots as a result.
Barty’s slice, too, wasn’t that effective against the American, who came inside the baseline to return the world no. 1’s shots. In the fifth game, Barty saved a break point to go up 3-2. She went on to retaliate right away by breaking Collins’ serve after the latter hit a double fault.
Three games later, Barty had the set and momentum by her side as she secured a lead in the match. Collins, however, wasn’t done in the proceedings and the 28-year-old came back strongly to break Barty in the second game of the second set.
She did have trouble consolidating the break of serve and faced two break points herself, but Barty’s unforced errors put away both chances she had to get back in the set. As Barty’s errors mounted, she lost her serve for the second time in the sixth game, giving Collins the opportunity to serve for the set in the second game.
Australian Open: Ashleigh Barty's the queen at Melbourne Park
While this seemed to have loosened the pressure on Barty who began conjuring up winners all over again, Collins, on the other hand, began to struggle with her serves and her shot-making.
Barty won four games in a row – two of which were break backs – get the set back on serve with the chance to close it out in straight sets. Eventually, in the tie-break, Barty’s shots turned into winners as Collins struggled to get herself going.
The Australian went on to close out the match on her 30th winner of the day. Against Barty’s 30 winners, Collins could only prop up 17. In terms of unforced errors, both players were evenly matched at 22 errors apiece.
Of the two, Barty put in a lower percentage of first-serves in – 57% to Collins’ 63%. But where the top seed won 82% of her first-serve points, the 27th seed could only win 63%. In winning the 2022 Australian Open, Ashleigh Barty became the first Australian woman in almost 44 years, since Christine O’Neil won the woman’s singles title in 1978. Barty’s now undefeated in all three Major finals she’s contested.