Barty blasts her way to 'incredible' record

Top-ranked Ash Barty defeated Barbora Krejcikova 6-2, 6-4 to scope the semi-finals of the Western & Southern Open.

Barty volition adjacent look two-time Cincinnati finalist Angelique Kerber, who won her quarterfinal erstwhile two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova retired during the 2nd acceptable due to the fact that of a tummy problem. Kerber won the archetypal acceptable 6-4 and was tied 3-3 successful the second.

Barty bushed Kerber successful the Wimbledon semifinals successful July. They person divided their six matches.

"She's 1 the champion competitors successful the world," Barty said. "Angie's ne'er acold disconnected her best. Even connected days wherever she's not playing her champion tennis, she finds a mode to enactment successful matches. When you play against Angie, you thrust a good enactment of not pressing excessively much, but besides not being excessively antiaircraft wherever she tin determination you astir the court."

Barty, ranked No. 1 for 87 weeks, hasn't mislaid a acceptable this week successful Cincinnati, a tune up for the U.S. Open.

Her biggest situation came from Heather Watson successful the 2nd round. Barty has since dispatched of Victoria Azarenka and Krejcikova successful consecutive sets.

Barty present stands level with Krejcikova — a three-time Grand Slam doubles champion making her singles debut present — connected 38 lucifer wins this season.

The triumph implicit the Czech prima means she's flooded 2 Grand Slam winners successful 2 days. This season, Barty boasts a blistery grounds against top-20 players going 14-1.

Tennis writer Ben Rothenberg called it "incredible" portion commentator Jose Morgado said it was "quite a stat" and tweeted: "Ash connected fire!"

Barty returns a changeable to Barbora Krejcikova. (Getty)

The Australian was not deterred by the utmost vigor and humidity successful the morning's archetypal lucifer astatine the Lindner Family Tennis Center.

"It was similar a Brisbane summertime day," Barty said. "The heat's surely not a occupation for me. It's bully to play the archetypal match. You cognize erstwhile your commencement clip is, which is not precise regular successful the tennis world."

Barty won 84 percent of archetypal serves against Krejcikova and 4 of 8 interruption points. She had lone 15 unforced errors. Barty had 7 aces Friday and has 15 successful the tournament.

"I consciousness similar I did a bully occupation looking aft my ain serves," she said. "I felt similar a batch of the clip I was successful power of it. That conscionable allowed maine to beryllium much escaped connected Barbora's work games. Overall, I was capable to usage my forehand and portion effectively."

Barty won Wimbledon successful July, but 2 weeks aboriginal was beaten successful the archetypal circular of the Tokyo Olympics. She appears to person regained her changeable successful Cincinnati.

"I consciousness similar it's bully to get a mates of matches present present successful Cincy," Barty said. "Each lucifer you get to play successful antithetic conditions and you get much and much utilized to it. I'm conscionable capable to set and accommodate and I look guardant to my adjacent one, nary doubt."

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