World number one Ashleigh Barty will play Czech eighth seed Karolina Pliskova in Saturday's Wimbledon final after two thrilling semi-finals brought the best out of both women.
Australian Barty continued her party by beating former champion Angelique Kerber 6-3 7-6 (7-3), while Pliskova came from a set down to defeat Aryna Sabalenka 5-7 6-4 6-4 in an astonishing encounter that had the crowd roaring with delight on multiple occasions.
This is only Pliskova’s second Grand Slam final but it comes five years after she finished as runner-up at the US Open in 2016, and she will be hoping she is on the right side of history this weekend on Centre Court.
"I am in the final so think it is incredible. It was an amazing match from both of us,” she said after the tie.
"I got a bit frustrated but she was serving unbelievably - she was in a semi-final so had to play some great tennis. I am super happy I managed to find a way to win."
Meanwhile Barty will head into the showpiece event as heavy favourite, even though she had never played in the final at SW19. The 2019 French Open champion has been outstanding so far in this tournament and now has one more match to achieve her ultimate goal.
"I get the chance on Saturday to live out a total dream," she commented.
"This is incredible. This is as close to a good tennis match I will play. Angie brought the best out of me and I knew I had to be at my best."
So one thing is for certain, there will be a new name on the trophy as 25-year-old Bary and 29-year-old Pliskova have both never won at the All England Club and Barty does have the upper hand on Pliskova in their previous meetings, winning five of seven in total.
In fact, in the most recent of those, in Stuttgart this year, Barty came from a set down to win in three and showed her true class to come through that quarter-final. But if this final is anything like that match, we are in for a treat.
Of course is Barty does come out on top, she will emulate her idol Evonne Goolagong, who won her first title 50 years ago this year. She is the first Australian to reach the women’s final since Goolagong and how fitting it would be for Barty, half a century later, to give Wimbledon an Australian champion once again.
