ASH BARTY has been backed to be singing Waltzing Matilda on Centre Court today thanks to her ‘computer’ brain.
The internet wasn’t invented the last time an Aussie woman lifted aloft the Venus Rosewater Dish.
It is 41 years since the iconic Evonne Goolagong – Barty’s mentor and inspiration – was named Queen of Wimbledon for the second time.
There are a number of comparisons made between Goolagong, now 69, and Barty, most notably their proud aboriginal backgrounds.
And Martina Navratilova, a nine-time singles winner, has been impressed by the world No1 passage to the final against Czech No8 seed Karolina Pliskova.
Navratilova, 64, said: “It’s funny how many similarities there are between Ash and Evonne, particularly the way they play. The mentality though is completely different.
“As calm and collected as they both were, Ash is a tennis computer. She has the game plans.
“She knows exactly what she wants to do – Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, whatever.
“Evonne played completely by instinct but the way they play is very similar.
“Ash has thought long-term about her game and developed into a number one player without worrying too much about the rankings. It’s all about the process for her and then you see the results.”
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A first Wimbledon final.@AshBarty, 50 years on since Evonne Goolagong Cawley won at The Championships, is one victory away from emulating her idol after beating Angelique Kerber 6-3, 7-6(3)
#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/qgWxKoKYvI
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 8, 2021
Whatever happens this afternoon, there will be a third different major winner of the season.
And it is the first time since 1977 that both women are making their debut appearance in a Wimbledon final.
Pliskova, who was defeated in the 2016 US Open final by Angelique Kerber, is aiming to emulate fellow countrywomen Jana Novotna (1998) and Petra Kvitova (2011, 2014).
The 29-year-old had a crisis of confidence a few years ago but coach Sascha Bajin has helped turned her career around – by getting her OFF the mobile phone.
German Bajin said: “It starts on the way over to the courts. We have an hour’s bus ride.
“I don’t want her to look at the phone. It’s not really good for your equilibrium.
“You get a little messed up. We both just put music on and we both don’t look at the phone.
“Even though it’s like an hour long and I would rather watch some YouTube videos, about to play a semi-final. But we pull together and I hope that kind of makes it more fun for her.”
- Martina Navratilova is part of the BBC’s Wimbledon line-up. The Ladies Wimbledon Final is 1pm today on BBC One
