Quarterfinals. Barty def Muguruza

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[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-microphone”] Match Recap from Announcer Andy Taylor, Voice of the Qatar Total Open

Ashleigh Barty advances to the Semifinals

The World #1 is undefeated in deciding-set matches this season. She’s played five, including tonight’s win over Garbiñe Muguruza. Tomorrow’s clash with Petra Kvitova – who defeated Ons Jabeur – will be Ashleigh’s third consecutive Semifinal this year. After losing her season opener to Jennifer Brady in Brisbane – Barty won the title in Adelaide, then defeated Kvitova to reach her second Major Semifinal (Singles) in Melbourne.

Barty’s been fortunate this week in her Doha debut.

After a 1st-Round Bye, she quickly dispatched exhausted qualifier Laura Siegemund. Gifted with a walkover in Round-3, Ashleigh avoided a clash with the hottest player on Tour, Elena Rybakina. The Kazakh withdrew after a pair of 3-set victories, citing a left thigh injury. That, and the fact that she’d played more tennis than any other player, reaching four Finals since week-1.

Tonight, Garbiñe simply gave away too many free points in set-1, and had to play catch-up the rest of the way. She played a hell of a tiebreak to force the 3rd-set, but Ashleigh was far too precise in the decider. The two traded breaks after the first changeover, before Barty ran off with the victory.

Head to Head: Third meeting between these two players

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[1] Ashleigh Barty -01- (AUS) | Quarterfinal Announcer Introduction

She is the reigning Roland Garros and WTA Finals Champion – and last month, enjoyed another outstanding Australian Summer – capturing her 8th WTA Singles title in Auckland, and reaching her 2nd Grand Slam Singles Semifinal at the Australian Open. Last year, she was extraordinary – she won 4 Singles titles, her first Major at the French Open, reached the US Open Doubles Final, lifted Australia to the Fed Cup Final for the first time in 26-years, and for the first time – finished the season as the year-end World #1. Here in Doha for the first time – on Tuesday, she defeated Laura Siegemund, then advanced to tonight’s Quarterfinal with a walkover. From Australia, please welcome the #1 Player in the World, Ashleigh Barty.

• QF — W | [11] Garbiñe Muguruza -16- (ESP) | Score: 6-1, 6-7(4), 6-2
• R3 — wo | [14] Elena Rybakina -17- (UKR) | walkover | RECAP
• R2 — W | [Q] Laura Siegemund -73- (GER) | Score: 6-3, 6-2 | RECAP
• R1 — BYE

Announcer Corner | Doha: Ashleigh Barty

Before this week, Ashleigh had never played in either Doha or Dubai. She was scheduled to make her Arabian Gulf debut last week in Dubai – but withdrew two weeks prior, still dealing with pain in her right foot after the Semifinal run in Melbourne. Since claiming the World #1 title for the first time after capturing the Birmingham title last June, she has now spent 32-weeks combined as the sport’s top-ranked talent.

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[11] Garbiñe Muguruza -16- (ESP) | Quarterfinal Announcer Introduction

A Finalist here in Doha two years ago, she is a 2-time Grand Slam Champion, owns 7 WTA Singles titles, and in 2017 – spent 4-weeks as the World #1. During the off-season, she challenged herself in ways very few dare to venture – she summited the roof of Africa, and climbed Mount Kilamanjaro. A month later at the Australian Open, she reached her 4th career Grand Slam Final, leaping nearly 20-spots in the rankings to World #16. Tonight marks her 3rd Qatar Total Open Quarterfinal — and she got here with wins over Daria Kastakina, Ajla Tomljanovic and Dayana Yastremska. From Spain, please welcome 2018 Qatar Total Open Finalist, Garbiñe Muguruza.

• QF — L | [1] Ashleigh Barty -01- (AUS) | Score: 1-6, 7-6(4), 2-6
• R3 — W | Dayana Yastremska -25- (UKR) | Score: 6-2, 6-4 | RECAP
• R2 — W | Ajla Tomljanovic -54- (AUS) | Score: 6-1, 6-2 | RECAP
• R1 — W | [Q] Daria Kasatkina -71- (RUS) | Score: 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 | RECAP

Announcer Corner | Doha: Garbiñe Muguruza

Before her 2018 run to the Final, Garbiñe Muguruza started working with 2004 Doha Doubles Finalist Conchita Martinez. By all appearances, it was a player coach relationship that was working. However, the two parted ways later that Summer, during a disappointing hard-court swing in the States. Then, 2019 proved to be a rough patch for the former World #1. By November, Garbiñe dropped outside the top-30.

So, during the off-season – Muguruza and Martinez decided to give the relationship another go. Clearly it paid off. With a Semifinal run in Shenzhen, another Major Final, and confident ground strokes setting-up consistency at the net – Muguruza is back in form. To get another shot at the Falcon would be another huge boost to an already successful 2020.