Ashleigh Barty news: World No 1 makes strong statement in Melbourne opener

Ashleigh Barty made a strong start at Melbourne Park as she kicked off her quest to win her maiden Australian Open title, claiming a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Lesia Tsurenko in under an hour.
The world No 1, who has won fourteen singles titles and twelve doubles titles on the WTA – including the 2019 French Open and the 2021 Wimbledon Championships – required just 54 minutes to beat the Ukrainian, who gave her a scare in 2019 in Melbourne when she had to come back to claim a 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 win.
Statement made 💯
🇦🇺 @ashbarty drops just one game on her way to a 6-0 6-1 victory against Lesia Tsurenko to reach the #AusOpen second round.
🎥: @wwos • @espn • @Eurosport • @wowowtennis #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/OgTOXyun1c
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 17, 2022
“I think I did a pretty good job of winning first and second points. And if I didn’t, I was able to call that back and not dig myself into a hole where I was fighting off two or three breakpoints in a row,” Barty told media.
“I think being able to manage service games has been really good, but also not trying to over emphasise the fact that if I do get behind in games it’s a bad thing.
“I’m not one for stats at the best of times, but I think obviously the last five or six matches I felt like I found a really good rhythm on my service games.
“I’ve been able to serve my way out of some tricky spots and play some 30-30 points, while not falling too far behind in service games. [It’s] been a massive part of my week in Adelaide and again tonight.”
Latest
-
ATP Tour
Casper Ruud breezes into Geneva Open last eight
Casper Ruud sets out to defend Geneva crown.
-
WTA Tour
WTA rules against stripping UK grass court events of points
WTA rules against stripping UK grass court events of points, yet to make call on Wimbledon.
-
WTA Tour
Iga Swiatek to kick off her grass season at Berlin Open
Iga Swiatek to start her grass court swing in the same country as her clay swing.
-
ATP Tour
Carlos Alcaraz and Andy Murray confirmed for Queen’s as Scot also signs up for Surbiton event
Big names, including Carlos Alcaraz, Andy Murray and Matteo Berrettini, set for Queen’s Club.
-
French Open
Novak Djokovic ‘has a feeling of revenge within him’ ahead of Roland Garros, says Mats Wilander
Mats Wilander backing Novak Djokovic to win back-to-back French Open titles.
-
Tennis News
Simona Halep feeling refreshed as she reveals Patrick Mouratoglou ‘helped me to find my love for tennis again’
Simona Halep thriving under Patrick Mouratoglou.
-
French Open
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova out of French Open and will skip rest of 2022 season due to injury
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova set for lengthy spell on the sidelines.
-
French Open
Rafael Nadal the favourite to win French Open, but Patrick McEnroe is ‘leaning towards’ Novak Djokovic
Patrick McEnroe has his say on the battle for the French Open title.
-
WTA Tour
Emma Raducanu joined by Simona Halep, Sloane Stephens, Jelena Ostapenko at Birmingham event
Quality field set for Rothesay Classic Birmingham.
-
French Open
Daniil Medvedev ‘should be ready for Roland Garros’ as he gives his verdict after Geneva Open defeat
Some positives and some negatives for Daniil Medvedev.