Ash Barty to face Danielle Collins in bid to end Australian title droughtAsh Barty ended a 42-year drought just by reaching the Australian Open final.The top-ranked Barty, who beat Madison Keys 6-1, 6-3, needs one more victory to be the first Australian woman to win her home Grand Slam title since 1978.

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Women's final set for Saturday in Melbourne

John Pye · The Associated Press(William West/AFP via Getty Images))comments

Ash Barty ended a 42-year drought just by reaching the Australian Open final.

The top-ranked Barty, who beat Madison Keys 6-1, 6-3, needs one more victory to be the first Australian woman to win her home Grand Slam title since 1978.

Danielle Collins is in her way. The 28-year-old American was dominant in a 6-4, 6-1 win over 2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek in the second of the two semifinals on Thursday.

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The women's final is set for Saturday. Collins said the chance to take on Barty for the title at her home Grand Slam is going to be "spectacular."

Barty is the first Australian since Wendy Turnbull in 1980 to reach the women's singles final at the tournament. Chris O'Neil was the last Australian to win it, two years before that.

WATCH | Barty dumps Keys to reach final:

Ash Barty aims to end Australian Open title drought as she reaches the final

10 hours agoDuration 2:28After defeating American Madison Key 6-1, 6-3, Ash Barty became the first Australian woman to reach the Australian Open final since Wendy Turnbull in 1980. Next, Barty aims to become the first Australian woman to win her home Grand Slam title since Chris O'Neil in 1978.(Hamish Blair/The Associated Press)

The 27th-seeded Collins took only 78 minutes to beat the seventh-seeded Swiatek. Her forehand cross-court winner to set up her first match points was typical of her semifinal form. She hit 27 winners, had only 13 unforced errors and imposed her relentless energy on the match.

She opened each set with a break of serve and raced to 4-0 leads both times.

Collins' run to the semifinals in 2019 was her best previous result at a Grand Slam tournament. She's determined to go one better.

"We've had some incredible battles," she said of Barty. "To play the No. 1 in her home country, it's going to be spectacular."

WATCH | Collins upends Swiatek:

American Danielle Collins reaches her 1st Grand Slam final at the Australian Open

10 hours agoDuration 2:1727th-seeded American Danielle Collins took only 78 minutes to beat the seventh-seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland 6-4, 6-1 and advance to the Australian Open final where she will face top-seeded Ash Barty of Australia.More tennis coverage

(editor：)