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Australia's Ashleigh Barty wins her first Wimbledon titleThe 25-year-old Australian adds the Wimbledon crown to her 2019 French Open title
AFP
Last Updated IST
Australia's Ashleigh Barty. Credit: AP Photo
Australia's Ashleigh Barty. Credit: AP Photo

Ashleigh Barty won her first Wimbledon title on the 50th anniversary of fellow indigenous Australian Evonne Goolagong Cawley's maiden crown, beating Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3 on Saturday.

The 25-year-old Australian -- who wore a specially-designed dress in tribute to Cawley's iconic scallop one she sported in 1971 -- adds the Wimbledon crown to her 2019 French Open title.

"I hope I made Evonne proud," said Barty.

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It was the first women's Wimbledon final to go to three sets since 2012 when Serena Williams beat Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska.

Barty had looked like cruising to victory after soaring into a 4-0 lead over her opponent -- the Australian's start so blistering that she won the first 14 points.

The 29-year-old Pliskova steadied herself and also due to Barty faltering on several occasions especially serving for the match in the second set the Czech took it into a decider. However, Barty got the break early and with one or two wobbles she got herself over the line sinking to her knees, her hands over her face in disbelief.

She wiped a couple of tears away before climbing up to the player's box, just like her compatriot Pat Cash did when he won the Wimbledon men's title in 1987.

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(Published 10 July 2021, 20:40 IST)