Barty’s Dream Comes True, Tops Pliskova For Wimbledon Title

Ash Barty won her second Grand Slam title getting the better of Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-3 in the women’s Wimbledon final Saturday in London.

“It was the most incredible feeling I think I’ve ever experienced on a tennis court,” said Barty after the 1 hour, 55 minute win. “There was certainly disbelief. I think I’ve worked so hard my whole career with my team and with people that mean the most to me to try and achieve my goals and my dreams. To be able to do that today was incredible.”

Barty blitzed the Czech early taking the first 14 points. By the time Pliskova knew what was going on, she was down 4-0. Playing in her second Slam final, Pliskova found her footing but it was too late.

Barty kept the pressure on in the second breaking Pliskova to go up 3-1. With her play improving, Pliskova would fight back and take a 4-3 lead on serve.

Barty would get another break but failed on her first chance to serve out the championship at 6-5. Double faults cost her.

In the third, Barty jumped out again and this time overcoming the nerves and a break point to serve it out for her 12th career title.

“I think there were some up-and-downs,” Barty said. “I think there were small runs of momentum. I think there were small runs of opportunities on second serves from both of us. I felt like we were both able to take advantage when we saw runs of second serves in a row. I think that was the challenge today, was trying to control my service games as clean as possible. I wasn’t able to do that every time, but I felt like I was building in the right way.

“I think trying to serve out the match in the second set, I gave [Pliskova] a look in,” Barty said. “She grabbed it with both hands. I think being able to reset at the start of the third was really important, just for me to continue to turn up each and every point. That’s all I was really focusing on, just trying to do the best I could every given point regardless of what the scoreline was.”

Barty’s 4th title of 2021 leads all women as does her 35 match wins. She becomes the first Australian to win Wimbledon since Yvonne Goolagong in 1980. Goolagong first won Wimbledon 50 years ago in 1971.

“Australians have such a rich history in sport, and I think being able to be a very small part of that is something I always dreamt of, try and create a legacy, try and create a path for young girls and boys to believe in their dreams,” Barty said. “Being able to kind of live through that and learn my lessons along the way has been some of the best parts of my journey.

“To be able to be successful here at Wimbledon, to achieve my biggest dream, has been absolutely incredible. The stars aligned for me over the past fortnight.”

She will continue to stay on top of the ranking at least until the end of the US Open.

Pliskova falls to 0-2 in Slam finals with both losses in three sets. Her two weeks at Wimbledon, though, may help to turn things around what has been a dismal restart for the former No. 1.

“I mean, not ideal start of the final, of course,” Pliskova said. “But I have to say, like, a lot of credit to her. One thing is that maybe I didn’t start well, but I think she really made it super difficult for me to just feel well.

“Of course, horrible start. That’s why I’m more like proud about the way how I find a way back in that match. I mean, not really close to winning, but it was one set all after. I lost first 15 points in a row or 14, yeah. Definitely horrible start.

“I think I just find a way how to play even without feeling that great on the court today. But I think it’s just, as I said, because of her game as well.”

The contest was the first Wimbledon women’s final to go the distance since 2012 when Serena Williams needed three sets to turn away Agnieska Radwanska.

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