Australian Open: Ashleigh Barty Wins Women's Singles Title

Ashleigh Barty made history on Saturday by becoming the first Australian woman to win the year's first Grand Slam in 44 years.

The world No 1 ended decades of hurt with a memorable victory, recovering from 5-1 down in the second set to clinch a 6-3 7-6 (7-2) victory over first-time major finalist Danielle Collins and claim her third Grand Slam title.

The drought is OVER ????????@ashbarty | #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/H3V9kUZUus

— wta (@WTA) January 29, 2022

Victory for Barty saw her become the first homegrown player to lift the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup since Chris O'Neil in 1978 as well as becoming the only active player other than Serena Williams to have won major titles on three different surfaces.

Daphne ???? Ash@ashbarty | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/XKUBGrac7K

— wta (@WTA) January 29, 2022

Barty now just needs the US Open to complete a career Grand Slam having won the French Open in 2019 and Wimbledon last summer.

Introducing the only women in the Open Era to win their first three Grand Slam singles titles in Paris, London and Melbourne:

???????? Evonne Goolagong Cawley
???? 1971 Roland-Garros
???? 1971 Wimbledon
???? 1974 #AusOpen

???????? @ashbarty
???? 2019 Roland-Garros
???? 2021 Wimbledon
???? #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/pXcUGFxWtf

— wta (@WTA) January 29, 2022

Fittingly, she received the trophy from her mentor, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, who won the title four times in the 1970s.