World number one Ashleigh Barty won the Australian Open women’s title on Saturday night by defeating Danielle Collins in the final.
Barty is the first Australian woman in the 44 years since the last homegrown champion, Chris O’Neil, held an Australian Open singles trophy. She defeated Collins of USA by 6-3, 7-6 in the final at the Rod Laver Arena.
Barty’s Australian Open victory is her third Grand Slam title after winning Roland Garros in 2019 and Wimbledon last year, while she ends a long drought for Australian women at their home major that has endured since Chris O’Neil won the crown in 1978.
The 25-year-old didn’t lose a set en route to lifting the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup for the first time and extended her head-to-head record over Collins to four wins from their five encounters.
Ashleigh Barty said it was a ‘little bit surreal’ after she won the Australian Open women’s title on Saturday night by defeating Danielle Collins in the final.
“It was a little bit surreal,” she said afterward.
“I think I didn’t quite know what to do or what to feel, and I think just being able to let out a little bit of emotion, which is a little bit unusual for me. Being able to celebrate with everyone who was there in the crowd, the energy was incredible tonight.”
“Being able to understand how much work my team and I have done behind the scenes and over the last few years, to get to this point to be able to have this opportunity was really special. I think it just kind of all came out at once – a really, really special moment,” she continued.
Barty’s Australian Open victory is her third Grand Slam title after winning Roland Garros in 2019 and Wimbledon last year.
“I honestly just thought how lucky am I that I’ve got so many people here that love me for me, and got to experience this with me. Because I was gutted when mum and dad and some of my team couldn’t be there in Paris and in London.”
“I think to be able to have almost everyone here was really, really special, and to do it at home and to be able to do it with them experience it with them was really special. Yeah, mum was always going to be the first one that I gave a hug to,” the world number one added.
Collins, 28, was playing in her first major final in her 17th main draw appearance, and her career-best run at a Slam will see her crack the top 10 for the first time when the post-Australian Open rankings are released on Monday.
