Australian Open: Barty’s old-school artistry silences grunting Sharapova

In the wake of the biggest win of Ash Barty’s short career, hopes reached fever-pitch of a first homegrown winner since 1978.

Ash Barty celebrates her epic win in the fourth-round match against Maria Sharapova. Picture: AAP

Rod Laver was on the edge of his seat. Scott Morrison was jumping out of his. Maria Sharapova was shrieking like she’d been stung by a bluebottle down at Bells Beach. Ash Barty was playing the biggest match of her life.

Amid an electric atmosphere at Melbourne Park, the 22-year-old Queenslander just kept rolling along in her beautiful silence to beat Sharapova 4-6 6-1 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

In the wake of the most important win of her short career, hopes reached fever-pitch of a first homegrown winner of the national championship since Christine O’Neill in 1978. Barty’s response? “It’s just unreal.’’

The old-school artistry of Barty’s technique and court-craft was again accompanied by her refusal to follow her peers by grunting in an exaggerated manner in an effort to baulk the foe.

Sharapova has always been the poster girl for it. The crowd hated it yesterday — as well as her seven-minute toilet break before the deciding set. The umpire was helpless to stop the distractions, but Barty quietly and efficiently went about her business. She’s only three victories from winning the Open. That close, that far.

“So excited,” she said. “One of the ultimate goals for 2019 was to try and really get my teeth sunk into the slams and get deep into the second week. The atmosphere was really unbelievable. It really was.

“That first match point, my ears were ringing. I’ve never quite played in Rod Laver (arena) when it’s been that full. Especially against a champion like Maria, who has proven time and time again that she can come back from any deficit. She was never going to go away.”

There was only one exception to Barty’s quietly determined ­demeanour. Holding serve to lead 5-3 in a nerve-jangling final set, she doubled over, pumped both fists and roared — while looking straight at Sharapova.

Her quarter-final tomorrow is against former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova. “For me, nothing changes,” Barty said. “We go through the exact same processes and same routines I go through whether it’s a first round or quarterfinal.

“But it’s exciting, no doubt about that. I get to embrace and enjoy the fact I’m playing in ­Australia and get to extend my summer a little bit longer and play in front of the best crowds in the world. These are the moments we train and practise for, to go deep at the slams … it’s amazing that it’s happening in Australia … on one of the best courts in the world and in my home slam. ”

Barty added: “I love to play with freedom and fun and try and create as much variety as ­possible. Obviously my game is built around my serve and forehand and bringing in a variety with the slice. But there are no secrets in tennis. I think every day I try and challenge myself to add another string to my bow, in a sense, and try to become the complete player. I think that’s my biggest goal.”