Ashleigh Barty in action at Wimbledon. AP
Barty was not at her best serving several double faults and making unforced errors regularly against a 22-year-old opponent who was far from over-awed by being on Centre Court or Barty's top-ranked status.
Ashleigh Barty in action at Wimbledon. AP
Australia's world number one Ashleigh Barty scrapped her way into the third round of Wimbledon on Thursday beating plucky Russian opponent Anna Blinkova 6-4, 6-3 in 90 minutes.
Barty was not at her best serving several double faults and making unforced errors regularly against a 22-year-old opponent who was far from over-awed by being on Centre Court or Barty's top-ranked status.
Barty, though, having battled right arm and left hip injuries this year eventually prevailed, breaking Blinkova's serve to take the match.
The Australian, who has never got further than the fourth round at Wimbledon, plays Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic.
"She pushed me incredibly hard," said Barty.
"A few points here and there it could have been a different story."
Svitolina eliminated
Ukrainian Elina Svitolina will be free to watch her compatriots take on England in Saturday's Euro 2020 quarter-final as the third seed crashed out of Wimbledon on Thursday.
The 26-year-old — a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2019 — lost 6-3, 6-4 to Poland's Magda Linette in their second-round match.
Svitolina had spoken on Wednesday of how the football team "would die on the field" against England but even with that fighting spirit, she could do little against her Polish opponent.
Linette moves into the third round for the second successive Championships and plays Wimbledon debutant Spain's Paula Badosa for a place in the last 16.