Ashleigh Barty pounds Jessica Pegula to stay perfect at Australian Open

Ashleigh Barty is still yet to drop a set at the 2022 Australian Open as she cruised past 21st seed Jessica Pegula in barely an hour on-court. 

The world number one immediately broke the American to begin the match before reeling off nine straight games from 3-2 up in the opener to easily claim victory 6-2, 6-0 on Rod Laver Arena.

Barty has only dropped 17 games and had her serve broken just once across five matches to reach the last four in Melbourne for the second time in her career.

“That was solid tonight,” Barty began her on-court interview. “I had a lot of fun out here.

While Barty was dominant her victory over Pegula, she noted that the world number 21 did well to reach the Melbourne quarter-finals for a second year running, her career-best Slam result.

“She is definitely a top 20 player, she deserves to be in these later [stages] of Slams,” Barty said.

“She’s got a few more yet to come that’s for sure.”

Pegula achieved a career-high ranking last year in November by reaching 18th in the world.

However, she will now climb to at least 17th and possibly as high as 15th come the end of the Australian Open and the new WTA rankings update on 31st January.

Barty will face 2017 US Open finalist and former world number seven Madison Keys next after she axed Roland Garros champion and world number four Barbora Krejcikova in her quarter-final match.

“It is so nice to have Maddie [Keys] back playing her best tennis,” Barty added on the American.

“She is a top player, she deserves to be at the top of our game.”

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