Ash Barty wins Adelaide International

Final day in Adelaide.

2022 Adelaide International 1 - a WTA 500 tournament, on Hard Greenset, in Adelaide, Australia, 3-9 January 2022.

Event held last year from 22-27 February 2021.

Defending champion:

Iga Swiatek (5) who defeated Belinda Bencic (2) 6-2 6-2

Final:

Ashleigh Barty (1) (Australia) v Elena Rybakina (7) (Kazakhstan)

Barty had met Rybakina once before, winning in straight sets in the third round of the 2020 Australian Open.

This was the eighth final for Rybakina, and she was aiming for a third title, the most recent being the Hobart International in January 2020.

Barty was in her twentieth final, and was looking for a fourteenth title, the last coming in Cincinnati in August 2021.

Barty served first and held to love. The first winners came off the Rybakina racquet in the next game where the seventh seed levelled easily..

The next four games followed the same pattern, and serve was not threatened. 3-3.

At 15-15 in the seventh game, Rybakina hit a wonderful forehand cross court winner, and Barty followed with a double fault, leaving her two break points down. One was saved when Rybakina netted a forehand. Then Barty delivered an ace and a forehand winner. Serve was ultimately held.

At 30-30 in the next game, Rybakina messed up a backhand volley at the net, and on break point gifted another error to Barty and dropped serve.

Barty would serve for the set at 5-3.

On the back of errors from the seventh seed, Barty contributed a love game to take the set 6-3.

In the opening game of set two, Rybakina double faulted on break point and Barty led 1-0. Three brilliant winners from Rybakina forced Barty to deuce in the second game, but the top seed held, the final point a second serve ace.

At deuce in the third game Barty ripped a sensational forehand winner, and Rybakina couldn’t save the resultant break point. Barty led 3-0.

Two aces from deuce and the advantage was 4-0.

At 4-1, Barty cruised with a love game, sealed with another ace. One game from the title.

Rybakina held well, forcing Barty to serve out the match.

Off forehand Barty winner and 15-0. Netted Barty forehand 15-15. Forehand wide from Barty 15-30. Return long 30-30. Off forehand winner from Barty and match point. Return long and match over.

Ash Barty highly impressive winner of the Adelaide International 6-3 6-2.

Perfect preparation for the Australian Open.