Ashleigh Barty rampaged to her first Grand Slam title on Saturday with a clinical 6-1, 6-3 dismissal of the unseeded Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova. The first set passed by in a blink as Vondrousova, playing on Court Philippe Chatrier for the first time, failed to find her range.
Barty, seeded eighth, won the first four games and though the Czech recovered one of the breaks, the 19-year-old immediately lost her serve allowing Barty to take a 5-1 lead. The 23-year-old Australian accepted the invitation to pocket the set after 30 mintues.
The second set started disastrously for Vondrousova. She lost her serve and Barty held to open up a 2-0 lead. She never relinquished her grip and wrapped up the win with an overhead smash after 70 minutes of one-way traffic.
“It’s unbelievable. I played the perfect match,” said Barty. “I’m so proud of myself. It’s been a magical two weeks.”
As well as rising to a career high number three in the world on the back of her triumph, she also collects a winner’s cheque for 2.3 million euros.
“Even though I didn’t get the win today, I’m very happy with the two weeks,” said Vondrousova.
