US Open: Ash Barty overcomes horror opening to prevail in three sets over Zarina Diyas

A resilient Ash Barty has overcome a horror opening to her US Open campaign to prevail in three sets over Kazakhstan’s Zarina Diyas.

Ashleigh Barty reacts after winning a point against Zarina Diyas, of Kazakhstan, during the first round of the US Open tennis tournament.

A resilient Ash Barty has overcome a horror opening to her US Open campaign to prevail in three sets over Kazakhstan’s Zarina Diyas.

The second seed struggled to find her range initially against the world No 80 but was able to assume control from midway through the second to win 1-6 6-3 6-2 in 1 hour 42 minutes.

Importantly, Barty maintained her composure despite her game deserting her in the first set. There were no histrionics. No broken racquets. No audible obscenities, though she must clearly have been wondering what was going on.

And the calm demeanour clearly enable her to sort through the shocker and find a way forward. A set was lost, not the match.

“We are really pleased with the way we were able to solve this riddle today, figure it out and progress to the second round,” she said.

Returning to Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time since claiming the US Open doubles crown last year with CoCo Vandeweghe, the Australian performed better the longer the match went.

“It was a bit bizarre. We walked out her on practice the other day and some good memories came floating back,” she said.

Barty started extremely slowly, dropping the first five games in just 21 minutes. The world No 2 was unable to find her rhythm when making several unforced errors, several of them sprayed off the frame.

She struck double-handed backhands long and sprayed forehands, in general performing far below the brilliance she has displayed for much of the year.

Diyas is a slightly unconventional player who takes the ball early and hits high, off-pace shots at times, or “moon balls” to use tennis slang. She was also able to drag Barty forward with drop shots, either drawing an error or setting up an easy passing shot.

Zarina Diyas, of Kazakhstan, loses a point to Ashleigh Barty.

But her first set lead was primarily due to the struggles of the Queenslander, whose timing was completely off.

The Miami Open champion was able to hold serve when trailing 5-0 but within 27 minutes she trailed by a set.

A statistical breakdown captured clearly the first set horror. The Fed Cup Star made just six of the 24 first serves she struck.

And the five winners she managed were completely negated by the 19 unforced errors.

Demonstrating that Diyas was scarcely sublime, the Kazakh only hit one winner herself while making eight unforced errors for the set.

“I think for me, I just had to start with my serve,” Barty said.

“I really wasn’t giving myself enough chances on serve. I don’t know what the percentage was in the first set … but it wasn’t good.

“(I had to) go back to the basics, start again and try to figure it out.”

Signs of a revival came in the first game of the second set. Barty thundered a couple of forehand winners and was able to hold serve to love.

The Australian had been warmly welcomed on to Arthur Ashe Stadium and those in attendance were behind her.

As her timing improved, at least on the forehand side, Barty became more assertive. With winners flowing from that wing with increasing regularity, she was able to hold her serve with relative ease.

Ash Barty celebrates her win in her Women's Singles first round match against Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan during day one of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre.

The challenge was finding similar range on return, which would ease the pressure somewhat.

Half chances came and went until the Brisbane native was to secure a break for a 5-3 lead, with two deep forehands from 30-all drawing consecutive errors from her rival.

An ace down the middle — her fourth for the match — enabled her to level at a set apiece.

A semi-finalist in Cincinnati in her final US Open lead-in event, Barty was able to secure a break for a 2-1 lead in the third set to move ahead for the first time in the match.

The recent world No 1 was able to secure another break at 4-2 to seize complete control.

Barty was the sole Australian woman to proceed on the opening day.

Former champion Sam Stosur was unable to make use of a wildcard when defeating Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-1 6-3.

Priscilla Hon, who was gifted a start as a lucky loser, was beaten 7-6 (4) 6-4 by Margarita Gasparyan while Daria Gavrilova fell to Frenchwoman Fiona Ferro 6-3 6-4.