Ashleigh Barty wins Adelaide International warm-up event

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Ashleigh Barty thanks the crowd

World No 1 Ashleigh Barty kicked off her 2022 in winning ways by securing victory at the Adelaide International event in preparation for the Australian Open.

The Australian defeated seventh seed Elena Rybakina, who is Emma Raducanu’s new opponent in the first round of the Sydney Tennis Classic, 6-3, 6-2 in one hour and four minutes to clinch her 14th WTA singles title.

The reigning Wimbledon champion is a massive favourite to win her home Grand Slam which kicks off in just over a weeks time at Melbourne Park.

“I feel good leading up to an Australian Open, like I have every year,” Barty told wtatennis.com.

“Each and every preparation is unique, each and every preparation is different, so we take it for what comes and what it is, move on, try and do the best that we can in every opportunity, whether that’s here in Adelaide or it’s in Melbourne.

“It has absolutely no effect on the way that I prepare or the way I’m thinking leading forward just because it’s a grand slam – we look forward, we do what we can, then we see how we go.”

There were also titles to be had for 2018 Australian Open finalist Simona Halep and American player Amanda Anisimova.

In the final of the Melbourne Summer Set 1, former Wimbledon winner Halep beat Russian player Veronika Kudermetova 6-2 6-3 despite being injury prone last season and only managing to finish nine of the 13 competitions she played in as a result.

“The body is great, I feel good,” the two time Grand Slam champion said.

“I had a tough five matches, and my body is good. I don’t feel that tired, physically I’m in the right place.

“Confidence is growing. I feel confident. I feel that I have the game to win matches.”

And in the Melbourne Summer Set 2, world No 78 Anisimova beat Aliaksandra Sasnovich 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 after being a break down in the deciding set to become 2022’s first WTA singles champion.

The Australian Open gets underway from January 17.

Amanda Anisimova Ashleigh Barty Simona Halep

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