Ash Barty handed Iga Swiatek her first ever defeat at the Adelaide International to move into her second final in the past three years at Memorial Drive Tennis Centre.
World No.1 Barty was too strong in every department for the defending champion on Saturday night, beating Swiatek 6-2 6-4 to set up a clash in the final with Elena Rybakina.
https://twitter.com/wwos/status/1479757561372889089?s=20
Rybakina had earlier powered into her first final in more than a year with a straight-sets victory over Misaki Doi.
Swiatek entered the match with a perfect 8-0 record in Adelaide, but never looked comfortable in her highly-anticipated semifinal clash with the Australian.
Barty, who beat Swiatek in their only prior meeting in Madrid last year, kept the 20-year-old off balance all evening with her signature mix of stinging slice backhands and forehands lashed with heavy spin.
Yet she is executing this style perhaps better than ever, and needed just 87 minutes to dismiss the world No.9, who finished with 31 unforced errors – almost twice as many as the top seed.
“This tournament was exceptionally tough right the way through. There were certainly no easy matches. I love to test myself against the best in the world, and tonight was no different,” said Barty, who earlier in the week beat Coco Gauff and Sofia Kenin.
“Iga is an exceptional champion. She made me play my best tennis. I felt like we both played pretty well and it was really not a lot in it. So I had a lot of fun out here tonight with her.
https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/1479761031203332099?s=20
“Each match I’ve been able to progressively get a little bit better, and hopefully there’s a little bit more left in the tank for tomorrow.”
Barty won her only previous meeting with Rybakina, who sealed a 6-4 6-3 win to reach the final when Doi double-faulted on match point.
“I’m really looking forward for this match (in the final),” said 14th-ranked Rybakina.
“It’s not yet my best tennis; I feel that I still have to improve. And of course I have to focus on my game tomorrow and not to give easy mistakes. We just see how it goes and I try to enjoy.
“It was tough (today), and I started really slow. Focus was up and down… She played also well. I’m just happy that I managed to win. My serve really helped me today.”
Rybakina’s power was the decisive factor in Saturday’s match-up with Doi, currently ranked 105th after peaking at world No.30 in October 2016.
The Kazakh produced 32 winners to Doi’s 16 – including nine aces – and created 11 break-point opportunities.
From 2-0 down in the first set, Rybakina ripped through 12 of the final 17 games to reach her first final since Strasbourg in September 2020.
That was one of five finals she reached during a breakout season, with the one title she won coming in Hobart, Australia.
“I really like Australia, and I think here I play good. I feel good also,” Rybakina said.
“Hopefully I can bring it tomorrow.”
Barty won the Adelaide International title in 2020, the same week Rybakina won the Hobart International.
When they clashed a week later in the third round of the Australian Open, Barty won 6-3 6-2.