Barty had some trouble in the first set against the two-time Australian Open champion and saved three break points at 5-5 to go on to win 7-6(2) 6-3 and level the tie at 1-1. Aryna Sabalenka earlier gave Belarus a strong start to the tie when she beat former U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur 7-5 5-7 6-3 in two hours, 47 minutes. "I knew the first set would be key," Barty said of her match against her current doubles partner. Roland-Garros Nadal, Djokovic and Federer in same half of juicy French Open draw YESTERDAY AT 15:19 Ashleigh Barty of Australia embraces Victoria Azarenka of Belarus following their first round match of the Fed Cup tennis semi-final between Australia and Belarus at the Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane on April 20, 2019 Image credit: Getty Images I dug myself into a hole in that 5-5 game but I went back to what I do well and got out of it. "For me it was just about me coming out and doing every thing right. I prepared really well all week." World number 10 Sabalenka looked completely out of sorts in the first two sets against Stosur, with both players struggling to hold serve. Sabalenka, however, turned up her power game in the third and after establishing a 4-1 lead blew her first match point opportunity in the eighth game on Stosur's serve when she blasted a backhand volley wide with the court open. She raced out to a 40-0 lead in the next game and while Stosur saved her second match point, the Australian sent a backhand long on the next point that gave Belarus a 1-0 lead. Ashleigh Barty of Australia celebrates her victory over Victoria Azarenka of Belarus during their first round match of the Fed Cup tennis semi-final between Australia and Belarus at the Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane on April 20, 2019. Image credit: Getty Images "It was an unbelievable match," Sabalenka said. "She played so quick, I couldn't touch the ball on her returns. You must fight for each point. I'm happy to have handled her level today Australia captain Alicia Molik praised Stosur's performance but also hinted that she may change her lineup for the reverse singles on Sunday, depending on how the 35-year-old recovers. Australia are attempting to reach their first Fed Cup final since 1993. They have not won the title since 1974. Belarus were beaten 3-2 by the United States in their only Fed Cup final appearance in Minsk in 2017. Roland-Garros French Open talking points: Will Nadal and Swiatek repeat? How will Federer fare? 26/05/2021 AT 07:43<doc-sep>Sam Stosur and Ashleigh Barty have sent Australia into their first Fed Cup final in 26 years by taking out the deciding doubles tie against the Belarusian team of Victoria Azarenka and world No. 10 Aryna Sabalenka. They took out what was a rollercoaster of a match 7-5 3-6 6-2 on Brisbane’s Pat Rafter Arena to book a showdown against either France or Romania in November. They took the opening set after breaking at 6-5 up before the Belarusian pair hit back to take the second set 6-3. But in the final set the Australians turned it on, especially Stosur who late in her career may have finally put away some of the mental demons that have plagued her when playing at home. Stosur was steely and immense in the final set, upping her game to the levels that saw her claim multiple slam doubles titles and the 2011 US Open singles title. Her volleying and serve were solid, while her shot selection was also spot on, with her forehand as dangerous as ever. This tennis is absolutely breathtaking! A huge break for the Aussies 🇦🇺#FedCup #AUSBLR pic.twitter.com/L55Wy0LjWO — Fed Cup (@FedCup) April 21, 2019 Todd Woodbridge called Stosur’s final set “her best all weekend” before also praising her for her mental strength in bouncing back. “It was such a classy performance by her,” Woodbridge said of Stosur’s performance. Stosur herself said she never doubted herself despite a 6-1 6-1 hammering in her reverse singles at the hands of Azarenka — in a match where she looked sluggish and off the pace — but in the doubles Stosur was sharp. “I was ready to come out here and play some good doubles with Ash, we had never played together before and knew it was going to be a tough one,” Stosur said. “It’s just super exciting to be in a Fed Cup final. We have all worked so hard all year and will give it our best shot here in November.” In the reverse singles Stosur it was a dominant performance from Azarenka, who performed like the player she once was when she was world No. 1 and Stosur had no answers for her in a rubber where she could have clinched the tie after Barty had earlier put Australia on the brink of victory, when she crushed world No. 10 Aryna Sabalenka 6-2 6-2. The win gave Australia a 2-1 edge in the semi-final tie and put them on the verge of a chance at their first title in the event since 1974. "Ash Barty puts Australia into the lead!" A 10-1 singles record and a 16-2 overall record - an amazing @FedCup career.#AUSBLR #GoAussies pic.twitter.com/34VQ3Xxi0V — TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) April 21, 2019 Barty proved too steady for the freewheeling Sabalenka, grinding away on her opponent’s serve until it eventually proved too much for the Belarusian. Sabalenka’s serving woes of Saturday returned, with six double faults among 16 unforced errors in the first set compared to Barty’s seven. Conversely, Barty served well in the clutch moments, fending off the early pressure and sealing the first set with an ace. It was more of the same in the second set as Barty produced in the big moments to save four break points across her first two service games. Sabalenka was the first to crack when she handed the 22-year-old Barty a break with a loose forehand and double fault for a 3-2 lead. Barty didn’t need another invitation and she broke Sabalenka again before she served out the match. Australia’s No. 1 walked onto court with three-year-old niece Lucy in her arms to start the day and brought her into the post-match press conference. With Lucy sitting next to her, Barty credited Stosur for exposing some cracks in Sabalenka’s armour on Saturday. “I was able to take advantage of it today, particularly on return games,” Barty said. “It was a wrestle, it was important to hang in there physically and continue to build pressure.” —With AAP<doc-sep>Samantha Stosur in a moment of repose while playing against Aryna Sabalenka. It’s a job not quite half done for Ashleigh Barty, who will embrace the moment on a “massive day” for Australian tennis after Saturday’s honours were split in their Fed Cup semi-final against Belarus in Brisbane. Ipswich’s world No.9 oozed class on Pat Rafter Arena as she got the better of doubles partner and former world No.1 Victoria Azarenka to level the tie 1-1 following Samantha Stosur’s stoic three-set loss to Aryna Sabalenka. Barty’s 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 defeat of the two-time Australian Open champion showed off all the attributes that have shot the 22-year-old into the top 10, while team captain Alicia Molik thought Stosur played some of the best tennis of her 20-year career on home soil in a gallant 7-5 5-7 6-3 loss to the world No.10. Ash Barty embraces Victoria Azarenka. Source: AFP Aryna Sabalenka celebrates winning her match against Sam Stosur. Source: Getty Images Stream over 50 sports live & anytime on your TV or favourite device with KAYO SPORTS. The biggest Aussie sports and the best from overseas. Just $25/month. No lock-in contract. Get your 14 day free trial > Barty will play Sabalenka in a crucial reverse singles rubber to open Sunday’s action, while Stosur or Daria Gavrilova will play Azarenka in the second match. If scores are tied, a doubles rubber will determine who hosts the Fed Cup final in November — a trophy that has alluded Australia for 45 years. “It’s massive for all of us ... it’s pretty good so far but I want it to be better tomorrow,” Molik said of the side’s fighting effort in front of a rowdy home crowd. “It’d be so amazing to be sitting here in a winning position tomorrow; that’s the end goal for us. “The position, it feels really familiar and I think we can get ourselves out of it.” Barty lapped up the home-crowd pressure, celebrating the win by giving her mother an on-court birthday shout out. “This is why we train, we want to get down to crunch time, go out and enjoy it,” she said. Barty recovered from 0-40 down at 5-5 to stay on serve and trailed 2-0 in the tie-break before a clever sliced backhand kicked off a run of seven straight points to claim a 59-minute set. The pair traded breaks again early in the second set but Barty found another gear, breaking her current doubles partner to love to go ahead 3-2 and serve her way home to end Azarenka’s 13-match Fed Cup winning streak and extend her own to 12. Earlier, Stosur played what she described as one of her best matches in Brisbane only to fall frustratingly short of a surprise defeat. Her gutsy loss featured 17 breaks of serve, with Sabalenka destructive on two fronts as she mixed brilliant tennis with regular unforced errors. “I hit the ball well, hit it hard ... a couple of moments in that third set she came up with some clutch returns and that’s why she’s top 10,” Stosur said. The winner in Brisbane will host either France or Romania in November’s final.<doc-sep>
Ash Barty has sent viewers into a spin at the Fed Cup, with a moment of magic against former World No.1 Victoria Azarenka. Australia’s top-ranked star went into the clash needing a win to get Australia back on level terms after Sam Stosur’s defeat to Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka in the opening semi-final rubber. Queensland’s world No.9 beat the two-time Australian Open champion and former world No.1 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 to level the tie at 1-1 after Sabalenko pipped Stosur in a near three-hour contest – 7-5 5-7 6-3 – earlier in the day. Barty was up against it in a hard-fought opening set – made to fight off four breaks points before holding serve late in the set. But it was a sensational point earlier on where Barty grabbed a break point courtesy of a stroke of genius. Azarenka had the Aussie pinned deep behind the baseline after a big forehand down the line that seemed to leave Barty in as spot of bother. Barty was in superb form in the win against Azarenka. Pic: Getty However, the 22-year-old fashioned an extraordinary backhand slice winner down the same line, wrong-footing Azarenka to give the Aussie a crucial break. “What a touch of brilliance from Ash Barty!” Todd Woodbridge exclaimed in commentary. “I’ll tell you what, Ken Rosewall in his prime would have been proud of that.” Australian spearhead Barty showed all the traits that had propelled her into the world’s top 10 this year to delight a capacity Pat Rafter Arena crowd that Stosur rated better than any home Fed Cup tie in her career. Barty looms as the key as Australia chase their first Fed Cup title since 1974, while captain Alicia Molik has the option of injecting either Priscilla Hon or Daria Gavrilova in place of Stosur on Sunday. Barty recovered from 0-40 down at 5-5 to stay on serve and trailed 2-0 in the tie-break before a clever sliced backhand kicked off a run of seven straight points to claim a 59-minute set. She was able to weather the Azarenka storm with terrific defence and court coverage, while her serve steadied after four consecutive breaks earlier in the set. Story continues The pair traded breaks again early in the second set but Barty found another gear, breaking her current doubles partner to love to go ahead 3-2 and serve her way home to end Azarenka’s 13-match Fed Cup winning streak. Earlier, Stosur played what she described as one of her best matches in Brisbane only to fall frustratingly short of a surprise defeat of the world No.10. Her gutsy loss featured 17 breaks of serve, with Sabalenka destructive on two fronts as she mixed brilliant tennis with regular unforced errors. Every time she looked to seize control Stosur would find a way back in, with five consecutive breaks of Sabalenka’s serve in the second set helping the Australian get back on level terms. Sabalenka steadied in the third set and a series of brutal forehand winners landed her the crucial break as the rowdy crowd armed with horns and a drum rode every point. “I was disappointed not to get through that one and win it but I don’t think here’s a lot I could change or do differently,” Stosur, who rated it the best Fed Cup atmosphere she’d experienced, said. “I’m really proud of that performance … really enjoyed the moment and was enjoying the crowd. “I hit the ball well, hit it hard … a couple of moments in that third set she came up with some clutch returns and that’s why she’s top 10.” The winner in Brisbane will host either France or Romania in November’s final. With AAP