Australian Open: Ashleigh Barty beats Madison Keys to reach Melbourne final

Ashleigh Barty became the first home player to reach the Australian Open women's singles final in 42 years as she beat Madison Keys in straight sets.

The unseeded American was defeated by the Wimbledon champion Barty.

She is one win away from becoming the first woman or man to win the singles title in Australia since 1978.

Barty will face either Danielle Collins or Iga Swiatek in the final.

Swiatek won the 2020 French Open as a 19-year-old and is aiming to reach her second Grand Slam final.

Less than a year after having surgery for a condition called Endometriosis, American 27th seed Collins is bidding for her first major final.

Whoever wins later on Thursday will face a tough task stopping Barty.

In 2020, the world number one reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park, but lost in the quarter-finals.

Barty has looked unstoppable and unburdened by Australian expectation so far this year.

The 25-year-old has won all 10 of her singles matches this year.

She won the Adelaide International title after beating three top-20 players.

Her returning game is difficult to unpick because of a tricky backhand slice, and strong serving has been the bedrock of her success.

In her first six matches, Barty had not dropped a set and had only conceded 21 games.

Key, a former US Open runner-up looking for her second major final, was nervous from the start and never looked like ending her dominance.

More to come.