BBC Online :
Ashleigh Barty beat Danielle Collins to win the Australian Open title, ending the home nation’s 44-year wait for a Grand Slam women’s singles champion. Top seed Barty fought back from 5-1 down in the second set to win 6-3 7-6 (7-2) on a jubilant Rod Laver Arena.
The 25-year-old Queenslander has won the title without dropping a set in Melbourne this fortnight.
“This is a dream come true for me. I am so proud of being Aussie,” said world number one Barty.
“As an Aussie, the most important part of this tournament has been being able to share this experience with the fans.
“This crowd is one of the most fun I’ve played in front of.”
Addressing the crowd, she added: “You relaxed me and forced me to play my best tennis. Thank you.”
After winning the 2019 French Open and last year’s Wimbledon title, Barty has now claimed three of the four majors. With a partisan 12,000-strong crowd and a home nation watching on, Barty started and ended the final looking unburdened by the weight of expectation.
Among those watching was Chris O’Neil, the last Australian to win the men’s or women’s singles title in Melbourne. Barty, rarely overcome by emotion, shouted with delight when she clinched the title with a cross-court forehand winner.
Virtually everyone inside Rod Laver Arena jumped to their feet, roaring their approval, many with camera phones in their hand to capture a long-awaited moment for the nation’s sports fans.
