[Sport] Ashleigh Barty vs. Karolina Pliskova, for the 2021 Wimbledon title

[#Steeven.™]

The Wimbledon final will take place this Saturday, the first of both at the Grand Slam on grass in London.

The world's number 1 tennis player, Australian Ashleigh Barty, will collide with Czech Karolina Pliskova (N.13) in the Wimbledon final that will take place this Saturday, the first of both in the Grand Slam on grass that takes place in London.

Barty made this Thursday "one of the best matches of my career" to beat German Angelique Kerber, N.28 and champion in 2018, 6-3 and 7-6 (7/3). On her side, Pliskova, former world number 1, traced the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka (No. 4) and defeated her 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

"It was a moment of relief, of pure happiness," Barty commented of the way she clutched her head with both hands once she won the match ball.

"I didn't know if I could one day feel this: to have the opportunity to play a final at Wimbledon is incredible," she added.

Especially since she had not played a game in the period between her abandonment in the second round at Roland Garros, due to hip pain, and the start of the 'major' on grass. One thing she didn't care about ... and rightly so.

"The greatest experience of my life"
“I don't lack preparation at all. It's just that my preparation has been different, unique, ”she had stated after qualifying for the fourth.

The 25-year-old Australian had been eliminated in the round of 16 at Wimbledon in 2019, just weeks after her title at Roland Garros, which for now is the only Grand Slam title in her record.

Against Kerber she started very well and soon went 3-0 up. The 33-year-old German then entered the match, but unable to regain lost ground.

However, it was the German who broke the entry in the second set to escape and become 3-0. And when it seemed that the set was going to be a carbon copy of the first, this time in favor of Kerber, Barty turned the situation around and went 4-5.

With the Teuton 6-5 up in a crazy set ending, Barty chained ten points in a row to force the ‘tie break’ and take it 6-0, with six match points. Kerber saved three before giving in.

"I'm very proud and I'm going to do everything possible on Saturday to win the tournament," Barty warned. "Playing this final will be the greatest experience of my life."

‘Sometimes I didn’t have time to reflect’
It will be Pliskova who faces the passion of the Australian.

"It's crazy ... so far she had not passed the round of 16," said the 29-year-old Czech who had stayed at the gates of the quarters in the last two editions of Wimbledon.

Sabalenka "served super well and I'm super happy to have endured in the game and get out of trouble," added Pliskova, who in 2016 already reached the final of the US Open.

In the first set, Sabalenka was in more difficulties, saving 8 break balls, but she was finally the one who achieved the only break in her sleeve, at her first opportunity, precisely on her first set ball.

But in the next two rounds, Pliskova took it in front of her, breaking her rival's serve from the beginning and she no longer gave in, despite powerful blows from the Belarusian.

"The balls went so fast at times that there was no time to think about the shot to be made," said Pliskova amused.

The Czech is even more satisfied with her level of play, since she hadn't enjoyed it for a long time.

“I hadn't played well in the weeks leading up to Wimbledon, so now I feel like I'm in a dream. I always thought that at some point I would recover my game and I am very happy that this happens now ”, she had commented after qualifying for the semifinals.