Ashleigh Barty was 11 or 12 the first time she attended a final at the Australian Open. As a young player there as part of a training camp, she was amazed by how professional it was and how all of the players were so focused.
Being there sparked something in her.
"Being able to get a taste of that kind of lit the flame," Barty said earlier this week. "You wonder what you can achieve. You wonder what you can do."
On Saturday, more than a decade after her first experience at Rod Laver Arena, Barty left herself, and all those watching, little to wonder about as she defeated Danielle Collins, 6-3, 7-6 (2), in the Australian Open final to become the first Australian player, of either gender, to win the title in 44 years.