Ash Barty seals epic US Open doubles crown
Australian tennis star Ashleigh Barty has won a thrilling US Open doubles final with American CoCo Vandeweghe to land her long-awaited maiden grand slam crown.
Barty landed her maiden grand slam title at Flushing Meadows after five finals attempt in the past.
Barty and Vandeweghe saved three match points to edge out second-seeded Australian Open champions Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic 3-6 7-6 (7-2) .7-6 (8-6)
Barty had lost all four grand slam doubles finals with retired compatriot Casey Dellacqua, falling short at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open in 2013 and at last year’s French Open.
But there was no denying the 22-year-old on Sunday, Barty and Vandeweghe prevailing after fighting off two match points in the second set and another in the deciding breaker.
Fans were beside themselves as Barty lifted the trophy, saying there is no one more deserving than the 22-year-old.
Hats off to Ash Barty, who in her fifth grand slam final, is a major doubles champion at last.
— Charlie Eccleshare (@CDEccleshare) September 9, 2018
#USOpen Huge Congrats to women's #doubs team @CoCoVandey & #AshBarty for an amazing 🎾🇺🇸🏆win!
— Alice Zinn (@AliceZinn) September 9, 2018
ASH BARTY!!! Having fallen at the final hurdle at every Slam doubles final she breaks through with new partner, Coco. 3 match points to each team in a cracking final. What a star 🌟🌟🌟
— James Nankivell (@JamesNanks) September 9, 2018
Great win for Ash Barty with Coco Vandeweghe in the US Open Doubles. You little ripper Ash!!! @ashbar96 @CoCoVandey
— Australian Protectionist (@MakeAustGreat) September 9, 2018
Finally a Womens Doubles major for @ashbar96 Ash Barty – 👏👏👏
Congrats to you & your wonderful partner @CoCoVandey CoCo Vandeweghe for winning the @usopen 2018 US Open Women’s Doubles title.
Taking out both the #1 and #2 seeded teams to achieve this is tremendous #USOpen 🎾🎾🎾— Tony Hardy (@aussietony79) September 9, 2018
Ash Barty is a slam champion! Amazing stuff, so deserving. #USopen
— darc (@darcstei) September 9, 2018
Barty’s triumph completes a memorable US Open for the Queenslander.
The sporting super talent also reached the fourth round of the singles, marking the first time the former Wimbledon junior champion and WBBL cricketer had made the second week of a slam.
The new world No.15’s earnings for the fortnight totalled $1.16 million – $662,000 for singles and $498,000 for doubles.
Barty has also won the US Open Sportsmanship Award, a gong recognising excellence in sportsmanship during the American lead-up events and the final grand slam of the season.
“It’s very humbling,” she said.
Barty is the seventh Australian to win the US Open women’s doubles title, joining four-times champion Margaret Court (1968, 1979, 1973, 1975), Judy Tegart-Dalton (1970-71), Wendy Turnbull (1979, 1982), Hana Mandlikova (1989), Rennae Stubbs (2001) and Samantha Stosur (2005).
with AAP.
