Coming in at #10 on the list of Best Grand Slam matches of 2018 would be the blockbuster first-round clash between home favourite #AshleighBarty and rising star #ArynaSabalenka in the opening round of the 2018 #AustralianOpen. Playing under the lights of the Rod Laver Arena, the Australian was often fazed by the Belarusian’s abundance of power on her shots and had to dig deep for the terrific, high-quality three-set win after two-hours and five minutes of action.
Both players displayed some world-class serving, with both Barty and Sabalenka combining for 18 aces and just seven double-faults. There were only six breaks of serve in 32 service games played and nothing could separate both players throughout the majority of the match — only three points separated both eventually.
Barty could only play some counterpunching tennis to Sabalenka’s effortless aggressive tennis, and the Australian fired 28 winners and her low-risk game brought about just 26 unforced errors. Whereas, Sabalenka was extremely efficient on her shots, going for the winners as it brought her 41 winners but the risk involved was also incredibly huge — committing 43 unforced errors in the process.
There was quite an amount of tension involved in this match, not mentioning the thrilling rallies between the players. The Australian crowd was cheering for their local player but Sabalenka’s infamous grunt received some mimicking from the audience, with the audio broadcaster in the stadium doing it as well, forcing umpire Zhang Juan to intervene on several occasions. Amidst the drama, there was a tremendous amount of respect from both players towards each other.
Sabalenka snatches the tight opening set
It was Barty who earned the best possible start into the match — rattling off 12 of the first 16 points to open up a commanding 3-0 lead within a blink of an eye. Both players were showcasing some of their best tennis, with some high-quality ball-striking skills which made the admission price worth it for the fans.
Sabalenka needed time to get the ground running and find her momentum, and once she found her groove she could be said to be unstoppable. A series of powerful returns and relentless aggression from the youngster saw her breaking straight back and go on a streak on her own, claiming 12 of the next 16 points to return level at 3-3 as well.
Barty was forced to dig deep and fend off a nervy break point in the seventh game — and that game could have just indirectly handed Sabalenka the opening set. Impressive serving from both players ultimately sent the set into a tiebreak. It turned out surprisingly one-sided as Sabalenka finally sealed the opening set with a 7-2 victory in the tiebreak, relying on her strong returns to prevail.
Barty fights back for a deciding set
The intensity level of Sabalenka’s game experienced an obvious dip, although it was understandable considering she thought she could afford to let loose after playing some high-quality tennis in the opening 48 minutes. Barty exploited on that factor and took advantage of a slew of unforced errors produced by her opponent to grab the early break in the second set.
Sabalenka managed to find her best tennis once more; coming out from nowhere to break back and level the scoreboard. There were some outrageous shot-making from both players and the quality of play was immense. Barty then prevailed in a match-changing game, having to save game points to take the lead as Sabalenka was too loose at the net and the Australian found a fantastic passing winner on break point.
Barty finally completed the job, much to the home crowd’s delight, as she took the second set 6-4 with an ace down-the-tee.
Barty grabs the huge win
Three consecutive service holds started the deciding set, although it was Sabalenka who had the first real opportunity to earn the first breakthrough. Barty was put in a dangerous situation but found her way to survive the challenge as she staved off a break point to hold serve in the nervy fourth game, which ultimately decided the outcome of the match.
Sabalenka’s failure to convert her chances definitely affected her confidence as the element of self-doubt definitely came into play. She was unable to display her top-notch tennis and whereas, Barty was playing some lights out tennis, wowing the home crowd with her crafty hands and quick feet.
The lone break in the fifth game was enough to decide the winner as Barty held on and fended off any possibilities of a comeback, serving out the win with her 11th ace of the night.
Barty: "I think that was a very tricky match-up"
Right after the draw was made, this encounter was one to look forward to. “I think that was a very tricky matchup. I thought it was actually a pretty high quality match. But very happy to squeak through,” Barty mentioned in her post-match press conference. Sabalenka was one of the game’s biggest rising stars with one of the most aggressive games in the business currently, while Barty was an all-around player renowned for her array of shots which could neutralize the power of her opponents. Hence, this match was extremely unpredictable and little could separate both of them.
Despite losing the first set after owning a 3-0 lead, Barty did not let that affect her mentality. “I knew she had a big game, is very much a first-strike player. I was sort of ready for it. It took me a while to sort of get used to her patterns, understand where she wanted to hit the ball. I felt like I had my plans in place. I knew if I hung around long enough, I'd be able to get into the match, work it into my favor a bit.” She dug deep and eventually reaped the rewards for her hard work — the terrific three-set win.
Barty went on to defeat another hard-hitter Camila Giorgi in the second round, but this time in straight sets. However, the Australian’s run ended in the hands of Naomi Osaka, who was the third consecutive aggressive player Barty had faced in the week.
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