Barty doles out 'double bagel' in Australian Open first round

Published on: Feb 09, 2021 4:21 PM IST

Reuters | MELBOURNE

Share via

Copy link

Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, February 9, 2021 Australia's Ashleigh Barty celebrates winning her first round match against Montenegro's Danka Kovinic REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake (REUTERS)

Barty, looking to become the first homegrown champion at the Grand Slam since 1978, won the first 16 points of the one-sided contest and never looked back, wrapping up the win in 44 minutes.

World number one Ashleigh Barty doled out the dreaded 'double bagel' to Danka Kovinic in the first round of the Australian Open on Tuesday, humiliating the error-prone Montenegrin 6-0 6-0 on Rod Laver Arena.

Barty, looking to become the first homegrown champion at the Grand Slam since 1978, won the first 16 points of the one-sided contest and never looked back, wrapping up the win in 44 minutes.

"This is what it's all about, this is incredible," the Australian said to cheers from the crowd.

"It's impossible not to enjoy a night session on this beautiful court."

Next up for Barty is a second-round match against Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo or local wildcard Daria Gavrilova.

Stay updated with the latest sports news, including latest headlines and updates from the Olympics 2024, where Indian athletes will compete for glory in Paris. Catch all the action from tennis Grand Slam tournaments, follow your favourite football teams and players with the latest match results, and get the latest on international hockey tournaments and series.