If Ash Barty is feeling pressure in her quest to be the first local player to win the Australian Open women's singles title in 44 years, the world number one is hiding it behind a brilliant poker face
When asked how she was going to handle tonight's final on Rod Laver Arena — where she will play Danielle Collins — Barty explained she had a simple approach.
"Absolutely embrace it," Barty told the media following her straight-sets semifinal win over Madison Keys.
"You have to, it's fun. It's brilliant to be playing in the business end of your home slam. I'm not going lie about that. It's amazing.
"I think being able to experience it multiple times has been incredible, but Saturday's going to be a new experience for me.
Barty is no stranger to ending Australian title droughts.
Her Wimbledon victory last year was the first by an Australian woman since her hero Evonne Goolagong Cawley won in 1980, while her 2019 French Open triumph broke a barren run at Roland Garros stretching back to Margaret Court's win in 1973.
But the Australian Open is seemingly a different beast for the players contesting their home major.
Since Chris O'Neil's victory in 1978, no Australian has been able to claim the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup for winning the women's championship.
Wendy Turnbull is the most recent finalist (1980). While during the same era Dianne Fromholtz-Balestrat could not break through, despite having the talent to reach a career-high ranking of fourth in the world.
More recently, Sam Stosur showed she could win a major when she triumphed at the 2011 US Open, yet she could not get past the fourth round in her 19 campaigns at Melbourne Park.
It has been a long time between drinks for Australia's male players as well, with Mark Edmondson the last to triumph back in 1976. Since then, the likes of Pat Cash, Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt — all major winners — were unable to lift the men's trophy.
The pressure of performing on home soil and dealing with public expectation must be emotionally draining. But at least from the outside, Barty appears to be taking it all in her stride.
"To be in the finals weekend of your home grand slam [tournament] is what a lot of Aussie players dream of," Barty said.
"It's going to be an incredible experience come Saturday. I can't wait to go out there and enjoy it."
Barty's "dream" of winning the Australian Open began to take shape when she visited Melbourne Park as a child.
"I would have only been 11 or 12 years old and I came down for a training camp in the second week of the Australian Open," she said.
"To see how professional it was and to see everyone going about their business was really eye opening. My first taste of it was in the juniors and I loved it.
"Over the last three or four years I've loved playing here in Australia. I've had my best results here over the last little period.
"It's really exciting now that we get to play for a title on a Saturday at your home slam."
Barty has won three of her four previous matches against Collins.
The American was impressive in her semifinal victory over seventh seed Iga Świątek, winning 6-4, 6-1.
Collins — seeded 27 in Melbourne — is contesting her first final at a major.
