June 29, (THEWILL) – Australian world number one tennis player, Ashleigh Barty, kicked off her Wimbledon challenge by overcoming a spirited Carla Suarez Navarro on Centre Court on Tuesday to take victory in three sets 6-1 6-7 6-1 in what was the final match at Wimbledon for Suarez Navarro.
The Spaniard and former world number six had confirmed that she was retiring later this year and was playing in her last All-England Club competition, following her recovery from Hodgkin Lymphoma in April.
In the absence of defending champion Simona Halep, who withdrew on the eve of the tournament due to injury, Barty had what she called the “honour” of opening the show court on day two. She immediately stormed to a first set victory of 6-1 to set a marker for the competition.
Suarez Navarro was scarcely going to concede that easily, for her final show, without a fight and that was what she gave Barty in the second set. In the first meeting between the two female pros but in Suarez Navarro’s 12th appearance at Wimbledon, she resolutely fought back to take the second set and prolong the match to a final set, to the rousing appreciation of the crowd.
When Barty took the third in a similar score with the first, it was over for the Spaniard, who appreciated the support of the crowds emotionally. A standing ovation from the crowd, Barty and her mother Maria in her box, who fought back tears filming the scenes, marked Suarez Navarro’s last moments in Wimbledon.
Barty praised her opponent in her post-match interview saying: “It was just incredible to be able to share the court and this experience with Carla after her incredible career. She’s a fighter, she’s an incredible competitor and lovely person – you genuinely can’t find one bad word to say about her.
“I wish we both could have won out here today… she’s going to be sorely missed.”
As a major favourite to take the title at Wimbledon, in the absence of Halep and Naomi Osaka, Barty added: “[I feel] good, great, better on the grass. It’s a little bit more forgiving. I was excited to know I would be 100 per cent to play here.”
In the next round, the Australian will meet either Russia’s Anna Blinkova or Hungary’s Timea Babos.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
