The sense of déjà vu was palpable – same court, same hard-hitting ethos across the net, same edgy start and confident finish. Ash Barty is back into the third round of the Australian Open for the second straight year after a second come-from-behind victory, beating Italy’s Camila Giorgi 5-7 6-4 6-1.
The No.18 seed will now face Japan’s Naomi Osaka for a place in the last 16 – another player in the mould of Giorgi and Aryna Sabalenka, Barty’s first-round opponent – where a potential showdown with world No.1 Simona Halep, and an all-but guaranteed return to Rod Laver Arena for a third time, could yet await.
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“This is amazing – nothing better than playing on this court, the best court in Australia,” said Barty, having matched her best run at a Grand Slam tournament. “I'm lucky to be out here for the second time in a row.”
After a sweltering Thursday afternoon at Melbourne Park – particularly on the grand old stage, where Gael Monfils and Novak Djokovic ended up doubled over at times under the glaring sun – the mercury was still in the 30s when Barty and Giorgi took to court. The Australian No.1 came into the match with two wins under her belt against the world No.71, but both players arrived in good form after deep runs at the Sydney International – Giorgi to the semis, Barty to the final.
Barty absorbed Giorgi’s barrage from the outset as the match went with serve before the Italian clinched a crucial break in the eighth game for a 5-3 lead. Barty snuffed out the lead immediately, but the die had been cast and Giorgi broke again to clinch the opener in 49 minutes.
Having played with a containment policy in the first set, Barty upped the tempo in the second, keeping Giorgi on the move with some wicked angles and feathering her slice backhand to all corners of the court. The pair traded breaks once more before Barty fashioned a chance to serve for the set, only for Giorgi to produce a sumptuous forehand winner to keep the game alive.
It was a brief reprieve, however, as Barty broke in the next game to level up before running away with the third as Giorgi wilted, wrapping up the comeback win in two hours, two minutes.
“It's nice coming back from a set down,” said Barty, who faced the same scenario against Sabalenka.
“You never like being a set down to begin with; certainly gives you some nice satisfaction when you're able to come back, really stick it out, sort of hang around for the match.
“I've been able to hang around long enough in these matches to put myself in a position where you can go out there on Saturday, have a red-hot crack and try to make my first fourth round.”
It was another understated victory for the 21-year-old, all but matching Giorgi’s 27 winners with her own 26 while producing half as many unforced errors, 19 to 38. The Italian capitalised on a second serve that often sits up and asks to be hit, as will Osaka, but Barty has her own arsenal which is in fine fettle at the moment – not to mention the experience of two third-round encounters in 2017, both here and at the US Open.
“Last year was just everything was unexpected,” she said. “It was new ground for me. Everything was brand new. Even though this situation is also brand new, I feel like I put pressure on myself to perform well and to play well and to do well. That's what I expect of myself. It's not always going to happen, but I can certainly put myself in the position where I can get the best out of myself.”
She will need nothing less against Osaka, a veteran of five third-round runs at the majors without reaching the last 16. One player is set to break that duck – and if anyone has grooved their game for the opponent that awaits, it’s Barty.
“Another big hitter,” she acknowledged. “Naomi is a great chick and can certainly give the ball a rip when she's got time. I think for me it's sort of not overly usual to have three matches very similar.”
Déjà vu served her well on Thursday night. Perhaps it will on Saturday.
