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Many have tried over this past few weeks but nobody has yet managed to crack the bewildering Barbora Krejcikova puzzle.
Now it's Ash Barty's turn - and she knows it's going to take some unravelling on Monday when these two French Open champions, past and present, pit wits and talent for a place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
For what exactly is the key to beating the Czech player who seems to have forgotten how to lose a tennis match?
Six weeks ago, the 25-year-old had never even won a singles title after years of slog and then two turn up like Paris metro trains, headlined by a French Open triumph that left everyone, not least her, feeling a little open-mouthed.
After a break being feted in the Czech Republic, where they've fallen for their new heroine's charm, self-effacement and obvious joy at what she's achieved, she's at it again at Wimbledon.
Playing elegant, clever tennis with the all-court skill that comes with being a doubles whizz, Krejcikova still sounds as if she can't quite believe what's happening to her.
"Actually I didn't feel any stress so far, but I think the deeper I get in the tournament, the more I'm gonna get nervous," she smiled.
"So far, I just feel very happy, really proud of myself. Also really grateful ... I'm just always telling myself, 'Okay, is it really...am I awake?'
She reckons she can't wait to play world No.1 Barty, a player she first met 10 years ago when they were a pair of 15-year-old kids turning up to play the girls' event.
"Just playing Ash, I know her for so long. I actually like to watch her, because she gives me a lot of motivation and inspiration to just work hard," said Krejcikova.
"Sometime she wasn't actually playing, she was off for a little bit, had some problems, but then she came back.
"She deserves to be No.1, because she is just very talented and she works hard. She just deserves everything that she's achieving."
Barty, looking more comfortable every match, concedes that Krejcikova presents a problem.
"I have played her plenty of times in the doubles court. Never on the singles court. It's a new experience for both of us, some new challenges that for sure will force some of my best tennis," she said.
"I'm looking forward to that challenge, trying to figure out her game, kind of piece together the puzzle that she presents."
Barty admits she didn't watch too much of Krejcikova's run to the Roland Garros title because she was dealing with her own injury disappointment "and wasn't in a frame of mind to watch any of the matches in Paris."
But a battle between the 2019 and 2021 French Open champions, with their games full of variety and intelligence, should be a treat for tennis connoisseurs.
"If it's easy on the eyes, then that's nice. But if it's not, it won't bother me in the slightest," reckons Barty.
So, she's happy to win ugly?
"A win's a win they always say, right?" she smiles.
© AAP 2021
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NSW is in a critical phase of its two week lockdown, with cases uncovered in the coming days to help determine if stay-at-home orders affecting millions of people have to be extended.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Saturday it was "too soon" to tell whether the lockdown of Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Wollongong will be extended beyond July 9.
The state recorded 35 local virus cases in the 24 hours to 8pm Friday, bringing the current outbreak to 261 cases.
While it's the highest daily case number since the state's first wave in early 2020, the majority of cases have been in isolation for their entire infectious period.
"If all of us continue to do the right thing, we're able to leave the lockdown in a timely way. The next few days will be telling," Ms Berejiklian said.
On Friday, she said authorities wanted to see a rise in the proportion of new cases that were already in isolation, with the next several days critical to the lockdown effort.
Authorities listed a string of new exposure sites across Sydney on Friday and Saturday.
The latest cases show the epicentre of the outbreak has shifted from the city's east, to the western and southwestern suburbs.
Anyone who has been in the centre of Auburn in Sydney's west since June 27 is being told to get tested, even if they don't have symptoms.
Meanwhile NSW has lifted stay-at-home orders for travellers from Western Australia, the Northern Territory and parts of Queensland as restrictions in those states and territories have eased.
But visitors to NSW from Brisbane and Moreton Bay must remain at home, as must anyone in the Greater Sydney area.
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NSW has recorded 35 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases as Sydney reaches the halfway point of its 14-day lockdown.
It's the highest number of daily cases since the first wave of COVID-19 in early 2020, but Premier Gladys Berejiklian said it was pleasing that most of the cases were isolated throughout their infectious period.
"Whilst as predicted the number of cases are going up, we're seeing a greater proportion of those cases in isolation which is exactly what we want to see," Ms Berejiklian said on Saturday.
"The green shoots are there. The green shoots of the lockdown doing what we hoped it would are there."
The new cases take the outbreak tally to 261.
Twenty-three of the new cases were in isolation through their infectious period. Three were in isolation for part of their infectious periods. Nine were infectious in the community.
The numbers come after NSW Health identified 35 possible exposure sites on Friday evening.
Anyone who attended Exquisite Brows and Spa in the Marrickville Metro between 9am and 5pm last Saturday is a close contact and must isolate for 14 days. A Strathfield medical practice, the Manly Novotel and the Eastlakes Woolworths are also close contact venues.
Further alerts have been issued for venues in Burwood, Auburn, Homebush, Strathfield, Eastern Creek, Roselands, Villawood and Lakemba in Sydney's inner west and west; Bondi Beach and Bondi Junction in the east; Eastlakes, Matraville, Oatley, Caringbah, Kirrawee, Rockdale and South Hurstville in the south and southeast; and Avalon in the northern beaches.
Two legs of the 400 bus route last Thursday have also been identified as COVID risks. The full details are on the NSW Health website.
Ms Berejiklian warned on Friday that the next few days were "critical" and that authorities wanted to see a rise in the proportion of new cases already in isolation.
"Come early next week we do want to see that tide turned," she said.
Meanwhile, NSW has lifted stay-at-home orders for travellers from Western Australia, the Northern Territory and parts of Queensland as those states and territories have eased their own lockdowns.
However, visitors from Brisbane and Moreton Bay must remain at home, as must anyone in the Greater Sydney area.
The lockdown for Greater Sydney and surrounds is due to end on July 9.
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NSW is seeing "green shoots" of hope but it's too soon to say whether Sydney's lockdown will end next week, according to Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
The state recorded 35 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday, the highest daily number since the first wave in early 2020.
Nearly two thirds of them - 23 - were in isolation for the entire infectious period.
Ms Berejiklian said it was pleasing the state was seeing greater proportions of positive cases already in isolation, and that the rise in the number of cases overall was not surprising.
"The green shoots are there. The green shoots of the lockdown doing what we hoped it would are there," she said on Saturday.
But the premier said it was "too soon" to tell whether the lockdown of Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Wollongong will be extended beyond July 9.
"If all of us continue to do the right thing, we're able to leave the lockdown in a timely way. The next few days will be telling," Ms Berejiklian said.
She asked Sydneysiders not to let their guard down as the city enjoys a sunny weekend after a week of rain and lockdown.
Among the current cases are two health care workers who picked up the virus while working at Royal North Shore Hospital, after being exposed to a student nurse whose positive case was announced on Wednesday.
Neither worked while infectious.
They bring to ten the total number of health care and aged care workers who acquired the virus via the student nurse. The other eight were household contacts.
The epicentre of the outbreak, which now tallies 261, is shifting from Sydney's east to the southwestern and western suburbs, the new cases reveal.
Anyone who has been in the centre of Auburn in Sydney's west since June 27 should be tested for the virus even if they don't have symptoms, Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said on Saturday.
A number of exposure sites in Auburn have been identified in recent days, including an Aldi and Woolworths.
Those in the Penrith area should also be on high alert as traces of the virus have been identified in the sewerage network, Dr Chant said.
Other western Sydney venues were on the list of 35 possible exposure sites identified by NSW Health on Friday evening.
Anyone who attended Exquisite Brows and Spa in the Marrickville Metro between 9am and 5pm last Saturday is a close contact and must isolate for 14 days. A Strathfield medical practice, the Manly Novotel and the Eastlakes Woolworths are also close contact venues.
Further alerts have been issued for venues in Burwood, Auburn, Homebush, Strathfield, Eastern Creek, Roselands, Villawood and Lakemba in Sydney's inner west and west; Bondi Beach and Bondi Junction in the east; Eastlakes, Matraville, Oatley, Caringbah, Kirrawee, Rockdale and South Hurstville in the south and southeast; and Avalon in the northern beaches.
Two legs of the 400 bus route last Thursday have also been identified as COVID risks. The full details are on the NSW Health website.
Meanwhile, NSW has lifted stay-at-home orders for travellers from Western Australia, the Northern Territory and parts of Queensland as those states and territories have eased their own lockdowns.
However, visitors from Brisbane and Moreton Bay must remain at home, as must anyone in the Greater Sydney area.
© AAP 2021
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