AFP, London :
Ashleigh Barty won her first Wimbledon title on the 50th anniversary of fellow indigenous Australian Evonne Goolagong Cawley’s maiden crown, beating Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3 in the final on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Australian — who wore a specially-designed dress in tribute to Cawley’s iconic scallop one she sported in 1971 — adds the Wimbledon crown to her 2019 French Open title.
“It took me a long time to verbalise, to dare to dream it and say it,” said Barty. “I didn’t sleep a lot last night, I was thinking of all the what-ifs. I hope I made Evonne proud.”
It was the first women’s Wimbledon final to go to three sets since 2012 when Serena Williams beat Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska. Barty had looked like cruising to victory after soaring into a 4-0 lead over her opponent — the Australian’s start so blistering that she won the first 14 points.
However, 29-year-old Pliskova steadied herself while Barty faltered when she served for the match at 6-5 in the second set.
