(Adelaide) World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, already back on top after stopping her 2021 season last September, will play Sunday in the WTA 500 tournament final in Adelaide against Kazakhe Elena Rybakina.
The Australian beat the Polish Iga Swiatek in the semi-final on Saturday (9e world), winner of Roland-Garros in 2020, 6-2, 6-4. Rybakina (14e) had meanwhile eliminated in the first semi-final the Japanese Misaki Doi (105e) 6-4, 6-3.
The rest seems to do them good: Monfils, who had cut short his end of last season by withdrawing before his round of 16 at the Masters 1000 in Paris, in the men’s final in Adelaide; Nadal, away from the circuit since last August to treat his right foot, finalist in Melbourne; and Barty, back after a four-month absence after being eliminated in the third round of the US Open in September, also in the final in Adelaide.
The world No. 1 will run for her 14th birthday at 25e title at its 20e final against Rybakina who will play her eighth final and will try to win her third title, at 22 years old.
“No easy match”
“I haven’t had any easy matches, this tournament was exceptionally tough, but I like to test myself against the best in the world, and today’s match was no exception. rule, ”said Ashleigh Barty.
“I have the feeling that my game has gone crescendo, that I have shown myself to perform better in each game, and I hope to have enough still in the tank for tomorrow [dimanche] », Added the world No. 1, who successively defeated Coco Gauff in the week (22e), Sofia Kenin (12e) and Swiatek (9e).
Against Swiatek, she took advantage of the many unforced errors of her opponent (31), from whom she took the service twice in the first set and once in the second. The Australian has also served very well, leaving few opportunities to Swiatek who only had to put in his mouth two breakage bullets, which she did not materialize.
Barely back, Barty already seems to be back on top a few days before the start of the Australian Open on January 17, where she only reached the semi-finals in eight appearances.
Rybakina who, after a difficult start, beat Japan’s Misaki Doi 6-4, 6-3 in almost an hour and a half with nine aces, is warned.