Andy Brownbill/Associated Press
MELBOURNE, Australia — In downtown Melbourne, Ashleigh Barty is nearly impossible to avoid. Her image adorns posters not just for tennis apparel but also for things like sunblock, watches and even Vegemite, the savory spread that is an Australian classic.
The displays embody a hope — unfulfilled for more than 40 years — for someone from the host country to win an Australian Open singles title.
Now, Barty is two wins away as the top seed in the women’s tournament, with Simona Halep as the highest-seeded potential opponent in a draw that has lost many top players.