Ashleigh Barty may not be a household name, but she’s well on her way.
The 22-year-old won the Miami Open today, defeating Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in straight sets, 7-6 (1), 6-3.
With the win, Barty earned her fourth title and is set to become the first Australian woman to reach the WTA top 10 since 2013.
In the biggest match of her career, Barty beat Pliskova on the strength of her serve. The up-and-comer finished with a season-high 15 aces and playing just 18 points on her serve. She improved to an impressive 18-3 on the year and will be ranked No. 9 as of next week.
After taking a break from tennis to professionally pursue cricket, Barty returned to the sport in 2017 — and she’s gone up in the ranks quickly.
The rising star has been signed to Fila for a number of years and renewed her deal with the Italian sportswear company in early 2018. In a release announcing the extension, Barty praised the brand’s commitment to excellence.
“Fila has a long history of supporting champions, so I am honored to represent the brand on-court,” Barty stated. “I have worked hard to improve my game and hope to build on the success of 2017. I am excited to have the support of Fila as I look forward to the coming season.”
The men’s final is slated for tomorrow and will see 20-time grand slam winner Roger Federer take on John Isner. Uniqlo-signed Federer is seeded No. 4 in the tournament, while Fila-endorsed Isner is No. 7.
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