How Ashleigh Barty broke a decades-long drought for Australian tennis
In short: At the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, Ashleigh Barty secured her first Wimbledon title and second major singles trophy. Her victory was more than just a personal milestone; it ended a long wait for her nation, marking the first time an Australian woman had claimed the title since 1980.
The 2021 tournament was defined by several historic shifts in the women's game. Ashleigh Barty's victory over Karolína Plíšková in the final—with a scoreline of 6–3, 6–7(4–7), 6–3—cemented her status as a major force. By winning, Barty became the first Australian to secure the ladies' singles title since Evonne Goolagong Cawley achieved the feat in 1980. Having already won the girls' trophy, her victory in the women's singles event placed her among only five players to achieve this, alongside Amélie Mauresmo, Martina Hingis, Ann Jones, and Karen Susman.
The tournament also saw significant absences and breakthroughs. The reigning champion, Simona Halep, was forced to withdraw before the event due to a calf injury. The Williams sisters' period of supremacy faced a unique break; for the initial time since 2014, a Wimbledon final lacked a Williams, and neither sister moved past the second round for the first time since 1997. This involved Serena Williams, who withdrew from her opening match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich because of injury, and Venus Williams, who was defeated by Ons Jabeur in round two.
Emerging talent also shaped the narrative. Emma Raducanu, making her first major appearance, became the youngest British woman to reach the fourth round in the Open Era. She was joined in the fourth round by wildcard Liudmila Samsonova, marking the first time in the Open Era that two wildcards reached that stage of a major. Meanwhile, Ons Jabeur made history as the first Tunisian and first Arab woman to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals. Despite the high stakes, the tournament saw several future champions, including Barbora Krejčíková and Elena Rybakina, both of whom were eliminated in the fourth round.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2021 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles
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