Ash Barty’s on-court interview was the real highlight after defeating Petra Kvitova

A Channel 9 commentator was dragged into her version of hell by Ash Barty after the Aussie tennis star pounced following her latest win.

The only thing Ash Barty enjoys more than winning tennis matches is stitching up her good friend and former tennis star Casey Dellacqua.

Barty became the first hometown hero to make the semi-finals of the Australian Open since Lleyton Hewitt in 2005 with a 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 win over seventh seed Petra Kvitova on Tuesday — but the real fun was still to come.

After progressing to the final four for the first time at Melbourne Park, Barty threw her old doubles partner Dellacqua under the bus in a wacky post-match interview that put the Channel 9 commentator under an awkward spotlight.

Originally, Nine’s Jim Courier wandered out onto Rod Laver Arena for his standard on-court interview with the winner but while Barty no doubt likes the red-haired American, she was keen to embarrass Dellacqua.

Dellacqua sat courtside during Barty’s straight sets victory while offering special comments for the TV broadcast but the world No. 1 wasn’t going to let her stay in her seat.

“She’s got no choice, get your butt out here girl,” Barty said into the microphone after Courier asked if she’d like a visitor.

Dellacqua, who stayed in the stands because she was too nervous to interview Barty on court earlier in the tournament, couldn’t escape this time but begged Courier to stay “for moral support”.

“I’m too nervous. I’m shaking,” Dellacqua said.

Asked how “stoked” she must be with her quarter-final win, Barty replied: “Yeah and I love putting you on the spot — it’s even better.”

Poor Dellacqua never stood a chance.

A mixed doubles winner at the French Open in 2011, and having made the doubles final at every grand slam, the retired star knows a thing or two about pressure but standing face-to-face with her close friend was too much to handle.

Barty loves a good stitch-up.

To her credit, Dellacqua kept it together in the early part of the interview as she asked about Barty’s tactical approach to matches — only to crack up and lose her way a couple of minutes in.

“I am actually not loving this, Ash,” Dellacqua said as Barty wrapped an arm around her and told her everything was OK.

“I don’t even know where to go with this interview to be honest,” Dellacqua added before looking over to Courier for guidance, who advised her to ask about the match.

“Thanks. This is why you need to stay for moral support.”

Some chat about Barty’s respect for Kvitova was followed by some more wisecracks as Courier chimed back in, asking the Queenslander if there was anything she can’t do given she’s the world No. 1, has played professional cricket and is an impressive golfer.

“That term is used very loosely,” Barty said when Courier called her a “pro cricketer”, before downplaying her golfing ability when the American referenced her promotional event with Tiger Woods last month ahead of the Presidents Cup in Melbourne.

“I don’t want to talk about a golf swing — I don’t know what I’m doing,” Barty chuckled.

Staying on the same theme, Barty made a joke about how the drinks at a charity golf event she’d attended were a much higher priority than any tee shots or putts, before Dellacqua finally bid her farewell to a standing ovation from the adoring crowd.

CHECK OUT THE INTERVIEW IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE

I have seen some bizarre post-match interviews at the Australian Open over the years, but never have I been more dumbfounded than I am by this one.

— Ricky Dimon (@Dimonator) January 28, 2020

Serious match. Wacky post-match interview with Ash Barty, who puts retired doubles partner Casey Dellacqua on the spot by obliging her do the on-court quizzing. Jim Courier steps aside for a bit. Random. Rickety at times. More golf chat than tennis chat but it worked for me.

— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) January 28, 2020

BARTY ON COURSE FOR HISTORY

The first Australian woman to make the Open semi-finals since Wendy Turnbull in 1984, Barty will play American 14th seed Sofia Kenin on Thursday for a spot in Saturday night’s title decider.

“It’s been absolutely incredible. I knew that I had to bring my absolute best today against Petra. That first set was so crucial,” Barty said.

“I just wanted to try to make the most of it and it was really good to get a quick start in the second.”

With Kvitova typically coming out swinging, Barty found herself under pressure from the off.

The reigning French Open champion had to fight off a break point in the opening game as Kvitova pounced on anything short.

She couldn’t hang on a second time, though, with Kvitova nabbing the first break in the third game — only to hand it straight back by dropping serve to love with a succession of unforced errors.

Still on the back foot as Kvitova dictated proceedings with her ultra-aggressive first-strike tennis, Barty did brilliantly to save three more break points in the seventh game to hold for 4-3.

Barty’s extraordinary defensive skills were on full display in the vital first-set tie-breaker. Serving at 2-3, Barty had no right to win the longest rally of the match — a 22-shot exchange that Kvitova eventually surrendered with a backhand into the net after the top seed wore the Czech down with her relentless retrieving.

Scrapping desperately to stay in it, Barty saved a set point on her own serve and her perseverance was rewarded when Kvitova floated a backhand long to concede the tense first set after 69 minutes.

Barty pulled out all the stops to qualify for the final four.

With the wind in her sails, Barty stormed to a 4-0 lead in the second to seize total command.

Kvitova briefly threatened a comeback after breaking Barty to reduce the deficit to 4-2.

But the home hope was not to be denied, holding her nerve to seal victory after one hour and 44 minutes.

Her milestone 250th tour-level victory, and 100th on hard courts, vaulted the 23-year-old Barty to within one tantalising win of following Turnbull again as the first Australian women’s finalist in Melbourne since 1980.

Barty has won four of her five clashes with Kenin, including their fourth-round showdown last year in Paris.

“She’s developed a lot over the last 12, 18 months. She’s a great ball striker who wants to be inside the court taking the ball either way,” Barty said.

“It’s about me getting my running shoes on, bringing variety and trying to bring the match on my terms as much as possible.”

With AAP