Wimbledon 2021: Ashleigh Barty To Play Karolina Pliskova In Final

Australian top seed Ashleigh Barty reached her first Wimbledon final with a 6-3 7-6 (7-3) win over former champion Angelique Kerber in the first women’s semi-final.

She will face Karolina Pliskova in Saturday’s final after the Czech came from a set down to defeat Aryna Sabalenka 5-7 6-4 6-4 in the second semi-final.

It will be a first final at the All England Club for both Barty, 25, and 29-year-old Pliskova.

“I get the chance on Saturday to live out a total dream,” said Barty, who has not lost a set since the opening round.

The top seed added: “This is incredible. This is as close to a good tennis match I will play. Angie brought the best out of me and I knew I had to be at my best.”

Barty has the upper hand on Pliskova in their previous meetings, winning five of seven.

In the most recent of those, in the Stuttgart quarter-finals earlier this year, Barty came from a set down to win in three.

It is Pliskova’s second Grand Slam final, having finished as runner-up at the US Open in 2016, while 2019 French Open champion Barty is chasing her second major title.

It is the first Wimbledon women’s singles final featuring two first-time SW19 finalists since 1977 when Britain’s Virginia Wade beat Dutchwoman Betty Stove.

“Until now, I hadn’t passed the fourth round and now I’m in the final,” said Pliskova. “I think it’s an incredible achievement.

“It was an amazing match from both of us.”