Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 17, 2022 Australia's Ashleigh Barty celebrates winning her first round match against Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko REUTERS/Morgan Sette
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - World number one Ash Barty will continue her quest for a maiden Australian Open title and end the country's 44-year wait for a homegrown women's singles champion when she takes on qualifier Lucia Bronzetti in the second round on Wednesday.
Barty, who is looking to emulate Chris O'Neil's 1978 feat, set the tone with a devastating 6-0 6-1 victory in her opener against Lesia Tsurenko and will be the overwhelming favourite against her Italian opponent in their first meeting.
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