World No 1 Ashleigh Barty paid credit to her last 16 conqueror Alison Riske but admitted the 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 defeat was “tough to swallow”.
The 23-year-old Australian looked on course to keep her hopes up of becoming the first Australian women’s Wimbledon champion since Evonne Goolagong Cawley won her second crown in 1980 after taking the first set.
However, her American opponent stormed back and Barty, who had strolled through the first week without a problem, had no answer.
“It is a tough one to swallow but I lost to a better player,” said Barty. “When her back is against the wall, she plays really well typically.”
Barty, who was the first Australian woman to be ranked world No 1 since Goolagong Cawley, said overall she was ecstatic at the journey she had been on this year, winning the French Open and getting to the top of the rankings.
“Overall it’s been a hell of a trip,” she said. “Disappointed right now. In the same breath, it’s been an incredible few months.
“New ground for me here at Wimbledon. This is the best we’ve [her and her team] done “Yeah, very proud of what we’ve been able to achieve.”
“I had to play aggressive. I had to take it to Ash,” said Riske of the world No 1.
“The grass definitely brings out the best in me. Hopefully it will rub off and happen in other places too. I have a great return game and I think grass just really suits my game and I feel at home here. I really don’t want Wimbledon to end.”
On facing Serena Williams for a place in the last four, she said: “Bring it on!”
“It’s super exciting. I played doubles with Serena, but never played against her. It will be an interesting match,” added Riske.
“Today was a great preparation for me going into the Serena match. Again, I’m ready for a war. She’s the greatest athlete I think that’s ever been on the women’s side
Defeat brought an end to 23-year-old Barty’s 15-match winning run.
However, she had been dominant at the start on Monday, serving up four successive aces in the opening game on Court 2 before breaking for a 3-1 lead.
Riske, who had spent four more hours on court than the Australian in getting this far, retrieved the break in the eighth game but it was a brief reprieve as Barty took the opener.
Riske had won the grass court title at ‘s-Hertogenbosch in the run-up to Wimbledon and her credentials on the surface eventually shone through as the match progressed.
She broke in the fourth and eighth games of the second set and carved out the key break of the decider in the eighth game.
It was all over when Barty speared a forehand wide of the court.
Riske had reached her second career Grand Slam fourth round the hard way, coming back from a 1-4 final set deficit to defeat Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the first round.
She then needed a 9-7 third set to see off Serbia’s Ivana Jorovic before hitting back from 0-3 down in the decider to beat Swiss 13th seed Belinda Bencic in the third round.
“I’m so excited. I think ultimately, I’m just so proud of myself for the way I handled today’s match.
“Just to overcome the matches the way that I have, I think that’s ultimately what I’m most excited about,” added the American.
“The quarter-finals is amazing but the way that I’ve been fighting, that is what is most exciting for me.”
Barty, who returned rejuvenated to the sport after a spell playing cricket, said in stark contrast to her predecessor Japan’s Naomi Osaka that being No 1 had not changed her or added pressure.
“I think for me personally, no, I haven’t lived my life any differently,” she said.
“There’s a little bit more attention, a few more of you guys here in the press rooms. Look, I mean, for me, nothing has really changed. I think it’s been a really, really positive couple of months for us.”
Barty, who spent a lot of her off time watching Disney movies, said she would be able to move on from the defeat.
“It’s incredibly tough right now,” she said.
“But in saying that, it’s also only a tennis match. I try to do everything I can to win the tennis match. If I don’t, the sun is still going to come up tomorrow. Today wasn’t my day, but that’s not going to define us as a team, it’s not going to define me as a person. I think that’s the most important thing.”
Barty said she would have a few beers and then focus on her next target, the US Open in August.
“We’ll go home, rest a little bit, then head down again, work hard, and head over to the States,” she said.
With AFP Inputs
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