By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday January 17, 2022
Ashleigh Barty blasted past Lesia Tsurenko to the tune of one game lost in her 2022 Aussie Open debut.
Photo Source: Getty
Ashleigh Barty is looking like a force to be reckoned with at the Australian Open. The top seed rummaged her way past Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko, 6-0, 6-1, winning the first 11 games and striding off the court in a cool 54 minutes.
It was a devastating display of dexterity and courtcraft by the talented Aussie, who is currently spending her 111th week at the top of the WTA rankings. Barty won, on average, two of every three points (55 to 28) and broke serve five times on eight opportunities.
It all adds up to the perfect start for Barty, who improves to 18-8 lifetime in Melbourne and is looking to improve upon her career-best semifinal result, reached in 2020.
Barty will square off with Italian qualifier Lucia Bronzetti in the second round, after stretching her undefeated run in 2022 to 5-0. The Aussie is fresh off of winning her 23rd career title at Adelaide where she defeated four Top-25 players in succession and took down Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina in the final.
The Aussie has won 17 of her last 18 against Top-20 competition and is bidding to become the first Australian woman to claim the Australian Open title since Chris O’Neil in 1978.
All eyes will be on her throughout the first week, for she is slated to face defending champion Naomi Osaka in the round of 16. Osaka was quick out of the blocks as well on Day 1, defeating Colombia’s Camila Osorio, 6-3, 6-3.