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Barty claims first Wimbledon title in three-set thriller
The Australian was made to work hard for her first title at the tournament after Karolina Pliskova took the match to a third-set decider.
Ashleigh Barty of Australia celebrates with the Venus Rosewater Dish trophy after winning her women’s final match against Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic on Saturday. Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Ashleigh Barty won her first Wimbledon title on the 50th anniversary of fellow indigenous Australian Evonne Goolagong Cawley’s maiden crown, beating Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3 on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Australian — who wore a specially-designed dress in tribute to Cawley’s iconic scallop one she sported in 1971 — adds the Wimbledon crown to her 2019 French Open title.
“I hope I made Evonne proud,” said Barty.
It was the first women’s Wimbledon final to go to three sets since 2012 when Serena Williams beat Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska.
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Barty had looked like cruising to victory after soaring into a 4-0 lead over her opponent — the Australian’s start so blistering that she won the first 14 points.
However, 29-year-old Pliskova steadied herself and also due to Barty faltering on several occasions especially serving for the match in the second set the Czech took it into a decider.
However, Barty got the break early and with one or two wobbles she got herself over the line sinking to her knees, her hands over her face in disbelief.
She wiped a couple of tears away before climbing up to the player’s box, just like her compatriot Pat Cash did when he won the Wimbledon men’s title in 1987.
