Barty credits improved serve for dominant victory over Kenin at Adelaide

Ashleigh Barty looked phenomenal in her easy victory over Sofia Kenin in the quarterfinals of the Adelaide International I, dispatching of the American in straight sets.

Barty cruised through behind a 6-3 6-4 victory, requiring just over an hour to get the job done. The World No.1 was exceptional on serve, hitting an astounding 17 aces and never facing a break point.

“It felt pretty good today. I was able to look after my service games pretty well, and it was a lot of fun playing out here again, to get some more court time and start to feel a little bit better,” said Barty after the match. "It’s nice to come out here and really be tested right from the start and know that you have to bring your very best level."

Although the Aussie was tested by Coco Gauff in the previous round, Barty showed no signs of weakness as she swiftly took apart Kenin's game. The reigning Wimbledon champion will surely be tested when she faces 2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek in the semifinals, but remains confident ahead of their clash.

"Looking at both of these last two matches, there’s still work to do; we go back to the drawing board and continue to try and do all the right things," admitted Barty. “But it’s been a really solid start and we’re happy with the foundation that we’ve kind of set to start the year off.”