Ashleigh Barty secured a remarkable win at the WTA Elite Trophy by starting strong and clinching a tight second set to claim the title. She defeated Wang Qiang from China in a 6-3 6-4 match in Zhuhai on Sunday, following her victory over defending champion and top seed Julia Goerges in the semi-final.
This title win marks a fantastic end to Barty’s time in China this week, capping off what she described as a phenomenal year. She plans to take a short break before gearing up for the Australian summer. In her last singles tournament at the Wuhan Open, Barty reached the semi-finals and dominated Wang with a commanding 4-0 lead in the first set at the Hengqin Tennis Centre.
Wang has now climbed to World No. 22 in the rankings and made a comeback attempt as Barty took a 4-3 lead with a well-executed drop shot for her third break. Barty then served out to claim the set. As Barty intensified her attacks, Wang struggled to defend her serve and failed to counter-attack effectively.
Barty sealed her victory with a flawless backhand cross-court volley. 26-year-old Wang reached the final by defeating Garbine Muguruza after Madison Keys withdrew from the event due to a knee injury.
