French Open 2019: Ash Barty reaches her first major final with semi-final win over Amanda Anisimova

It sure was a rollercoaster ride but Ashleigh Barty survived a ferocious French Open challenge from US teenager Amanda Anisimova to reach her maiden grand slam final after a bizarre yo-yo semi-final affair. 

Ash Barty is playing in her maiden Grand Slam semi-final

Ashleigh Barty has described her march to the French Open final as “crazy” after surviving a ferocious challenge from US teenager Amanda Anisimova to reach her maiden grand slam final in contest of extraordinary momentum swings.

 

 

The Queenslander will bid to join the greats of the Australian game after weathering world No. 51 Anisimova – and constant rain at Roland Garros – 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-3.

Guaranteed a minimum $1.8 million, Barty will play unseeded Marketa Vondrousova in tonight’s final after the Czech left-hander downed Johanna Konta 7-5 7-6 (7-2).

Signing “Paris” and a heart sign on a courtside camera, Barty struggled to reconcile her achievement.

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“It’s crazy, it really is. It’s incredible, it really is,” she grinned.

“Tyze’ (coach Craig Tyzzer) and I and the whole team have worked incredibly hard to get into this position.

“Now that we’re here, it’s about enjoying it, embracing it and having fun.”

Barty conceded she struggled in the windswept, damp and swirling conditions.

“It was pretty brutal out there and I was proud of the way I was able to fight and scrap and find a way after I pretty much threw away that first set,” she said.

“At the end of the day, it’s an amazing opportunity.

SHAMEFUL: BARTY AT CENTRE OF OPEN 'DISGRACE'

“I played some really good tennis, I played some pretty awful tennis.

“It’s amazing, it’s been an incredible journey, the last three years.

“It’s been an incredible journey, the last two weeks.

“I feel like I’ve played some really good tennis, some consistent tennis.

“Even though that level wasn’t there for the whole match today, it was there when I needed it.

“I’m so proud of myself the way I was able to go out there and handle it.

“All things considered, I was really happy with the way I responded at a set and 3-0 (down).”

 

Australia's Ashleigh Barty eyes the ball as she returns the ball to Amanda Anisimova.

Barty, 23, will attempt to become Australia’s fourth women’s singles champion at the French, joining Margaret Court (1962, ’64, ’69, ’70 and ’73), Lesley Bowrey (’63 and ’65) and her idol Evonne Goolagong (’71).

Seeking to become the nation’s first major champion since Sam Stosur at the 2011 US Open, Barty is guaranteed a rise to world No 3 – the highest mark held by an Australian women since Wendy Turnbull in 1985.

Crowning an improbable climb to the heights of the sport, it is almost exactly three years to the day that Barty returned to tennis from cricket after an 18-month sabbatical.

At the time, she was ranked No. 623 in the world.

She is now the bona fide star everyone expected her to become after winning the Wimbledon junior title eight years ago.

Renowned for pure skill, Barty showed tremendous composure to recover brilliantly after blowing a 5-0 first-set led and trailing 0-3 in the second set.

Nursing two set points on teary Anisimova’s serve at 15-40 (0-5), Barty suddenly lost her way as Simona Halep’s quarter-final conqueror ran amok.

“It felt like it happened really quickly and I went away from what was working and Amanda played incredibly," Barty said.

Heavily favoured to reach her maiden major final, Barty pocketed 23 of the first 27 points of the match to lead the first set 5-0 after just 12 minutes – only to lose the set.

Seemingly destined for comfortable victory, Barty twice served for the set, only to concede six straight games.

Amanda Anisimova was courageous in defeat.

Then apparently bound for defeat at 0-3 in the second set, the Queenslander reeled off six successive games to level the match.

Barty did well to force the match into a decider after letting the opening set slip in improbable circumstances.

Apart from watching the 5-0 set lead evaporate, she also the tiebreak 4-2, only to be overwhelmed again by the fearless 17-year-old.

Watched by Pat Cash and Marty Mulligan, Barty was powerless in the face of world No 51’s stunning counter-attack.

Ashleigh Barty's composure told in the end.

Openly communicating with her courtside support staff, Anisimova received a warning for coaching after securing an amazing first set.

She then coolly set about breaking Barty’s serve for the fourth time in succession, surging to a 3-0 lead before Barty triggered another remarkable spree, snaring six games in a row.

Serving for a 3-1 buffer, Anisimova was denied as Barty cracked a forehand crosscourt to level once more.

Sensing her opponent’s anxiety, Barty continued to build renewed momentum to break for 5-2.

Anisimova saved five match points in another late twist before Anisimova netted a forehand after 113 minutes.

Special pre-final show featuring Casey Dellacqua and Adam Peacock from 10.30pm on Fox Sports 503 before the French Open women’s final starts at 11pm.

FRENCH OPEN WOMEN'S FINAL

Ashleigh Barty

Age: 23

Ranking: 8

Height: 1.65m

Weight: 62kg

Titles: 4

Grand slam titles: 0

Prizemoney: $10,713,086.

Coach: Craig Tyzzer

Marketa Vondrousova

Age: 19

Ranking: 38

Height: 1.68m

Weight: 59kg

Titles: 1

Grand slam titles: 0

Prizemoney: 2,289,430.79

Coach: Jan Hernych

TAB Head-to-head betting

$1.50     Ash Barty

$2.65     Marketa Vondrousova

Set betting

$2.30     Barty to win in straight sets

$4.20     Barty to win in three sets

$4.20     Vondrousova to win in straight sets

$5           Vondrousova to win in three sets

 

Originally published as French Open 2019: Ash Barty reaches her first major final with semi-final win over Amanda Anisimova

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