Barty defeats Gavrilova to reach Sydney final

Ash Barty will contest her first WTA final on home soil after defeating compatriot Daria Gavrilova in three sets on Friday.

The 21-year-old former junior Wimbledon champion overcame an early struggle to win 3-6 6-4 6-2 on Ken Rosewall Arena.

In a topsy-turvy match that included 11 breaks of serve, Barty needed just one in the third set to set up a final against Angelique Kerber or Camila Giorgi.

Nerves allowed both players to draw a break early in the match, however Barty in particular had trouble on serve, holding just once on her way to losing the first set.

The Ipswich product responded by reeling off the first three games of the second, but each time Gavrilova fought back, Barty continued to make inroads into her serve.

Gavrilova's frustration spilled over in the ninth game of the set when, soon after levelling at 4-4, she double-faulted twice and received a code violation for cracking her racquet.

Ash Barty. Pic: Getty

Momentum was well and truly with Barty when she forced a deciding set and broke early in the third. While Gavrilova attempted to stay with Barty, she was broken to love in the seventh game.

The Queenslander's summer began with a first-round defeat in Brisbane last week but she has bounced back well ahead of the Australian Open, where she opens against world No.69 Aryna Sabalenka.

"It's been a pleasure playing here this week and it's nice getting a bit of confidence going into our biggest tournament for us," Barty said after the match.

Barty could join Nick Kyrgios in becoming Australia's second title winner of the summer after he took out Brisbane's men's championship last Sunday.

Australian teenager Alex De Minaur will battle for a spot in the Sydney men's final later on Friday.

with AAP