US Open: Barty storms into last 16

Australian No 1 Ashleigh Barty has reached the last 16 of a grand slam for the first time at the US Open.

Ashleigh Barty of Australia returns the ball during her women's singles third-round match against Karolina Muchova of Czech Republic on Day Five of the 2018 US Open. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

Ashleigh Barty has reached the last 16 of a grand slam for the first time with another high-quality display of shotmaking at the US Open tennis

Pitted against Czech Karolina Muchova on Friday US time, the Australian No 1 adapted well to the stark drop in temperature in New York today when progressing 6-3 6-4 in one hour 25 minutes.

She awaits the winner of Sofia Kenin and Karolina Pliskova for a spot in the quarter-finals.

It was another very impressive performance, this time against a woman who had just beaten former Wimbledon and French Open champion Garbine Muguruza.

The 22-year-old is moving particularly well, with her ability to move around balls to club forehands on a more regular basis a feature against Muchova.

The Australian was full of praise for Muchova, describing her as a “hell of an athlete” while feeling her performance in New York could be “the start of big things for her”.

Barty, who has moved to a career high 15 on live rankings, was delighted with making the second week of a grand slam for the first time in singles.

“It is really cool. I felt like we [Team Barty] have been not far off a few times now, but to finally get there is really cool,” she said.

“To be honest, you have to go one match at a time but to get stuck into the tournament and to get to the second week is a big move and a big hurdle, but obviously there is still a long way to go.”

Earlier this year in Melbourne, it was felt that a late court shift before her third round clash against Naomi Osaka from Rod Laver Arena threw her rhythm.

While she was again shifted from a bigger court due to matches on Grandstand running longer than expected, Barty was used to playing on outside courts.

She and CoCo Vandeweghe had played doubles on an adjacent court a night earlier.

Barty started well, securing a break immediately against the emerging Czech talent to lead 2-0.

An opportunity to take a firm grasp on the set by claiming a double-break went begging at 4-1 and when Muchova crunched a forehand winner to retrieve the break in the following game, the match was back on serve.

But the 18th seed was able to reassert herself again to close out the first set 6-3.

The Brisbane resident started the second set in similar fashion, seizing the momentum immediately with a service break in the opening game.

The point that allowed her to seize a double break for a 3-0 lead showcased the full variety of her shot-making.

An inside-out slice down the line skidded away from Muchova, before Barty used great craft to bounce the Czech this way and that before closing out the point with a perfectly weighted drop shot.

Karolina Muchova of Czech Republic returns the ball to Ashleigh Barty of Australia. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

Barty was able to stave off a break point to love to a 4-0 lead.

Despite the scoreline, it remained a significant test for the Australian.

The Czech continued to play at a high level with her aggressive all-court style, while her court-coverage enabled her to extend rallies.

Muchova was able to save two match points at 5-2, initially when clubbing a backhand winner and then went Barty double-faulted.

But there were fewer issues for the Australian at her second attempt to serve out her third round win, with a clubbed off-forehand clinching her victory.