Ashleigh Barty has completed the perfect preparation for her Australian Open campaign, fighting past the in-form Garbine Muguruza to say the Yarra Valley Basic in straight units.
Muguruza had dropped simply 10 games across 4 straight-set victories main into the ultimate however didn’t go the space with Barty, who gained 7-6 (7-3) 6-4.
The Spaniard struggled to take care of the world No. 1’s deadly backhand slice all through the match and her errors proved pricey in a see-sawing first set.
Muguruza landed the primary real blow on Sunday, breaking the Australian’s serve then holding to grab an early 3-1 benefit.
Barty broke again to even the ledger at 3-3, marking the first time Muguruza had conceded three games in a set across the match.
The 2020 Australian Open finalist broke Barty a second time and served for the set at 5-4 – solely to be immediately broken again.
Barty would make Muguruza pay for her wastefulness, delivering a commanding tiebreak efficiency to snare the opening set.
Two ferocious forehands set her 3-0 up within the tiebreak and Barty kicked on to carry 4 set factors, with a decisive forehand winner at 6-3 sealing the set.
The Australian broke Muguruza’s serve within the first game of the second set – after six deuces – and looked set to cruise from there, solely to be damaged again.
However holding a breakpoint at 4-4, Barty used her backhand slice to impact to throw Muguruza out of place before ripping a forehand winner to break the Spaniard for a second time.
Serving for the match at 5-4, the Australian reeled off 4 fast points with ruthless efficiency, rounding out the victory with a delightful lob.
Barty will play Montenegro’s Danka Kovinic in her first-round match on the Open while Muguruza has a clash with Russian Margarita Gasparyan.
