On Saturday, to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open world number one Ash Barty overcame a stumbling start with a 6-2 6-4 triumph over Ekaterina Alexandrova at an empty Margaret Court Arena.
Barty was broken in her first help game yet immediately rallied to take the initial set when Russian slapped the ball into the net for her sixteenth unforced error.
Giving no indications of being hampered by her intensely tied left thigh, Barty combat back in the wake of being broken again in the subsequent set and protected the triumph with a fifth and last break of serve.
The 2019 French Open champion, who is hoping to become the first homegrown Australian Open singles champion since 1978, will play American Shelby Rogers for a spot in the quarter-finals.
