Barty separates from the pack, Alcott’s legacy and the Special K’s march on – Australian Open 2022 diary
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Updated 27/01/2022 at 18:51 GMT
In her latest diary from the 2022 Australian Open Reem Abulleil looks at how Australian Open finalist Ash Barty has separated herself from the rest of the pack on the women’s tour. Plus a tribute to the retiring Dylan Alcott, who leaves behind a legacy that goes far beyond what he achieved on the tennis court. And finally the Special K’s continue their march to a possible doubles crown.
Wilander and Henman analyse Barty's slice-backhand shot
'Ash has separated herself from the rest’
Ashleigh Barty’s latest victim, Madison Keys, lasted just 62 minutes against the world No.1 in the semi-finals on Thursday.
Keys saw her 10-match winning streak come to an end with a 6-1, 6-3 defeat to Barty, who has yet to drop a set so far this fortnight and has reached the final at the loss of just 21 games through six rounds.
Asked what it was like to face Barty at the moment, Keys did not hold back.
“It's tough. It sucks,” she said with a chuckle before explaining how the Australian’s serve, slice backhand, and forehand, are close to being indestructible weapons.
Every once in a while, a player comes along that separates themselves from the rest of the pack, setting a benchmark that everyone else strives for.
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Highlights: Barty cruises past Keys and into Australian Open final
Asked if that’s how she feels about Barty right now, Keys said: “I would say yes. I definitely think so. I think she's incredible... she seems very focused, but she's playing very within herself, and it just seems like everything is really working for her right now without playing unbelievable tennis for her.
“I think the rest of us are watching it thinking, ‘Wow, this is incredible’, but when you watch her, she seems completely in control of all of it.”
Alcott bows out a legend
The legendary professional tennis career of Dylan Alcott came to an end on Thursday and the freshly-crowned Australian of the Year leaves behind a legacy that is beyond the 15 Grand Slam singles titles he has captured, and the Paralympic medals he has won.
Tributes poured in for the Melbourne native following his final loss to Sam Schroder on a packed Rod Laver Arena – a match that was broadcast on Channel 9 and which forced TV producers to hold the news so viewers didn’t miss Alcott’s farewell.
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‘It is about changing perceptions’ – Alcott after final match
“The first round at my first Australian Open in 2014, January 23, legit, there was five people there, five; my dad, mom, brother, couple of mates, and some people got lost and accidentally walked past,” Alcott reflected on Thursday.
“Now as full as humanly possible Rod Laver, Channel 9 held the news, it was the biggest show in town with Nick and Thanasi and Ash today. I'm on the opening billboard when you get here in Melbourne, bloody Australian of the Year, for God's sake. What the hell is that? That's ridiculous.”
Alcott’s biggest legacy is how he helped integrate wheelchair tennis into the able-bodied side of the sport and he worked hard to change perceptions towards people with disabilities. A larger-than-life personality, Alcott is the first person with a disability to be named Australian of the Year and he flew to Canberra after his semi-final to receive the award in person before returning to Melbourne for the title decider.
“People might think that I love myself and it's all about me but it's not. That's not what I'm about,” he said on Thursday.
“It's about changing perceptions so more people with disability get their opportunity to be them. Not winning a gold medal, not winning Grand Slams, but just going to a cafe, enjoying their life, having a job, going on a date, having a hit at tennis, whatever it is.”
World No.1 Ashleigh Barty and two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka were two of the first to congratulate Alcott on Thursday and he revealed he received a touching message from three-time major winner Andy Murray.
“This just sums up how it's changed. I hope he doesn't mind this, but Andy Murray just messaged me: ‘I don't know if I have articulated that well, but you're an absolute rock star and inspiration. Thanks for everything you've done’,” said Alcott in his press conference.
“That kills me. Makes me want to cry. Special,” he added tearing up.
“It's like that everywhere here. I never thought that would happen. It's really cool. It's better than winning a tennis tournament.”
Special K’s roll into final
The Kyrgios-Kokkinakis Show moved from Kia Arena to Rod Laver Arena on Thursday but the change in venue did not interrupt the entertaining Aussie duo’s progress as they knocked out their fourth seeded team of the fortnight to march into the Australian Open doubles final.
Wild scenes have unfolded at every match Kyrgios and Kokkinakis have contested this tournament and while some of their opponents have publicly complained about the raucous atmosphere they played in, others have enjoyed competing amid such fanfare, even if the crowds were against them.
“I think today was a clear example that it was a really nice match, a very nice show,” said Marcel Granollers, who fell to the ‘Special K’s’ alongside Horacio Zeballos in a close semi-final on Thursday.
“When you don’t lose respect for the match or for the opponents and you do the kind of things like Nick did today, it was perfect, it was a really nice show.”
The No.3 seeds were excited about the clash with Kokkinakis and Kyrgios, that they took a selfie with them before stepping on court.
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'They will get the crowd pumping' - Kyrgios and Kokkinakis to light up Men's double final
“I think the balance was there today. The quality of tennis was amazing. I think the festival atmosphere was still there,” said Kyrgios after the match. “I think they embraced it. They knew it was an incredible atmosphere. Zeballos took a selfie with us before we walked out. That's how you embrace an atmosphere.”
Taking selfies with opponents before and after matches is Zeballos’ specialty, and the Argentine has previously stopped Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic to take a photo with them after they had just defeated him on court. Asking for one before losing to an opponent definitely sounds like a better option.
An all-Aussie doubles final
Kokkinakis and Kyrgios will face off with Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell in what will be the first all-Aussie men’s doubles final at the Australian Open since 1980.
Purcell, who is through to his second doubles final at Melbourne Park in three years, was not too happy when a reporter compared the upcoming match-up with Kokkinakis and Kyrgios to when Australia faced off with Australia A (the nation’s second team) in cricket in the past.
“I don't know if you're aware in the '90s when Australia played Australia A in the cricket. The public ended up supporting Australia A instead of Australia,” noted the journalist.
Purcell quickly asked him: “Who is Australia and who is Australia A?”
When the reporter suggest Purcell and Ebden might be the underdogs against the ‘Special K’s’ the pair made sure to set the record straight.
“Let's look at it. They have higher singles rankings right now. We have higher doubles rankings. They had big crowd support. We did also yesterday. The pressure is on them for sure. They've had pressure on them their whole lives,” said Ebden.
“It's nice to see them doing well. Thanasi winning his singles match. Them getting through this tournament to the finals. It's great.”
Purcell added: “They're playing big-time singles out there. We're bringing a bit more doubles to the court. They're not looking to beat us at our game. We're not looking to beat them at their game. There's no A and B, I feel like. They're better at their game. We're better at our game. I don't feel there's any underdog or over pair.
“The silliest questions of all time,” he concluded as they left the press conference room.
Quote of the day
“So much going back and being a young American was watching Venus and Serena play. Those were my favourite matches. I was always looking forward to seeing what they were wearing on court. I would ask my parents to get up early in the morning to watch their night matches.
“I did enjoy watching Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova, all of those players growing up.
“To be playing on this stage where so many of my idols as a kid playing, it's almost surreal. This is just what we all, as kids, dream of doing. So it's just such a special moment for me. I'm just trying to embrace all of it.”
-- Danielle Collins shares some early memories after reaching her maiden Grand Slam final with a straight-sets victory over Iga Swiatek.
Stats of the day
- Barty is the first Australian woman since 1980 to reach the final at her home Slam. Should she defeats Collins on Saturday, she would become the first Australian singles champion at the tournament since 1978.
- Barty has spent a mere six hours and six minutes on court through her six matches en route to the final. She has dropped a maximum four game in a set just once so far this tournament.
- With an aggressive return game that dismantled Swiatek, Collins converted 6/10 break points against the No.7 seed. The American leads the entire women’s field with 32 return winners struck through six matches.
- Barty has now won her last seven consecutive semi-finals on tour.
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