Australian Ashleigh Barty celebrates maiden French Open title as parents watch from London
HAPPY Ashleigh Barty has become the French Open champion – her maiden singles Slam crown – but sadly her parents missed the match live. The Australian demonstrated her class as she swatted aside Czech Marketa Vondrousova, the conqueror of Jo Konta, 6-1 6-3 in an awfully one-sided match. GRAND SLAM CHAMPION!!! #RG19 #BartyParty #Ripper pic.twitter.com/dCCMr4hFVz […]
HAPPY Ashleigh Barty has become the French Open champion – her maiden singles Slam crown – but sadly her parents missed the match live.
The Australian demonstrated her class as she swatted aside Czech Marketa Vondrousova, the conqueror of Jo Konta, 6-1 6-3 in an awfully one-sided match.
The 23-year-old, who quit the game a few years ago to play domestic and international cricket, is the first Aussie to win on red Paris clay for 46 YEARS since the legendary Margaret Court.
Unfortunately her parents Josie and Robert were not present at Court Philippe-Chatrier because they were stranded in the UK and had to watch the final there.
The pair had flown over from Oz and landed at Heathrow airport only a few hours before the final was set to take place.
But when they booked the flights last month they had never imagined their daughter would get so far in the French capital.
She has had no prior pedigree at the French Open and had not gone beyond the second round here in five previous attempts.
But the sporting prodigy from Ipswich in Queensland delighted the watching fans Down Under as she dominated the final from start to finish.
She will receive a cheque for more than £2m and has risen to second in the world rankings.
Barty said: “It’s unbelievable. I am speechless. I played the perfect match. I am so proud of myself. It has been a crazy two weeks.
“I was nervous, very nervous, but Marketa has had an amazing season. It was nice to play her today.
“It’s a special place for Australians. Sam Stosur has done well here, and gone so close in the past. It has been a magical time here.”
Vondrousova might have managed to knock-out Konta in the semi-final, much to the annoyance of the British fans courtside, but the youngest teenager in a Grand Slam final for a decade was clearly succumbed by nerves on the biggest stage.
The 19-year-old had not dropped a set all tournament but within the space of 30 minutes she found herself 6-1 down and broken THREE times in the first set.
Vondrousova looked uncomfortable playing in such a huge venue and in the second set she never found any rhythm against the older opponent. The talented teenager will undoubtedly return but she will have to sort out her serve which had let her down with a plethora of doubles faults.
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