Australian Open 2022 Results: Ash Barty vs. Danielle Collins Set for Women's Final
Tim Daniels@@TimDanielsBR
Featured Columnist IVJanuary 27, 2022
Top seed Ashleigh Barty will face 27th-seeded American Danielle Collins in the 2022 Australian Open women's final after their semifinal victories Thursday at Melbourne Park.
Barty, an Aussie who's trying to win her home Grand Slam for the first time, made quick work of Madison Keys (6-1, 6-3) to reach the championship match without dropping a set in the tournament.
Collins is set to make her first appearance in a major final after a similarly dominant triumph over Iga Swiatek (6-4, 6-1) on Day 11 of the season's first Grand Slam event.
Barty has looked borderline unstoppable throughout the tournament. She arrives to the final having lost just 21 games, including no more than four in any set. By comparison, Collins has lost 51 games and two sets over her first six matches.
#AusOpen @AustralianOpenProof that red does in fact go faster 💨👟<br><br>🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/wwos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wwos</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/espn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@espn</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/eurosport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@eurosport</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/wowowtennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wowowtennis</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ashbarty?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ashbarty</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AO2022?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AO2022</a> <a href="https://t.co/y8Au7Ws07I">pic.twitter.com/y8Au7Ws07I</a>
The 25-year-old Australian owns two major titles, having won the 2019 French Open and the 2021 Wimbledon Championships. This will mark her first trip to the final in Melbourne after reaching at least the quarterfinals each of the past three years.
She called the chance to compete in front of home fans in pursuit of a Grand Slam title "incredible."
"As an Aussie, we are exceptionally spoilt that we're a Grand Slam nation—we get to play at home and in our backyard,” Barty said during her on-court interview. "I'm just happy that I get to play my best tennis here. I enjoy it. I've done well before, and now we have a chance to play for a title."
She'll be tough to beat on Saturday if she plays anywhere near the level she did against Keys. She held significant edges in winners (20-8) and aces (5-1) while winning 48 percent of points on the return against the 2017 U.S. Open finalist, whose serve is typically a key weapon.
That said, Collins, 28, put together a strong effort of her own to eliminate Swiatek, the 2020 French Open champion. She also built sizable advantages in winners (27-12) and aces (7-1) while winning 51 percent of the return points.
So, this is a matchup of two players at peak form, which should make for an entertaining final.
#AusOpen @AustralianOpen"To play against the number one player in the world in her home country, I think it's going to be really spectacular."<br><br>Bring it on 💪<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AO2022?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AO2022</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AOinterview?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AOinterview</a> <a href="https://t.co/6vjkumsgUn">pic.twitter.com/6vjkumsgUn</a>
It'll mark the fifth WTA Tour singles meeting between the duo. Barty won the first three matches, but Collins got in the win column with an upset in the second round of last year's Adelaide International.
The title match is scheduled for Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Melbourne (3:30 a.m. ET in the U.S.).