"A moment of pure excitement" - Barty relishing opportunity to compete in a Wimbledon final

Ashleigh Barty will compete for her second Grand Slam title on Saturday, after dispatching of 2018 champion Angelique Kerber in the semifinals of the Wimbledon Championships.

The World No.1 overcame a break in the second set to power past Kerber, requiring 86 minutes to complete the 6-3 7-6(3) victory and secure he spot in just her second Grand Slam final.

"Yeah, it was incredible," Barty said after the match. "It was just almost a moment of relief, a moment of pure excitement. It was something that I'd never, never knew if I would feel. I think being able to have an opportunity to play in a final here at Wimbledon is incredible."

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Having lifted the Roland Garros trophy in 2019, Barty has fell short of making another Major final at the 2020 Australian Open, losing in the semifinals. However, the 25-year old has been near-perfect during her run at Wimbledon. The Australian hit 38 winners to only 16 unforced errors in her win over Kerber, winning 11 consecutive points to erase being broken in the second set.

"I think for me today it was about knowing that I could draw on my experiences from my two previous semis, and I think I was able to do that," added Barty. "But Angie is an incredible competitor. She's a great champion. I knew that I had to bring my very best level today to match it with her."

The top seed will face fellow first-time Wimbledon finalist Karolina Pliskova for the title on Saturday, as the Czech outlasted Aryna Sabalenka in the day's other semifinal.