Australian Open 2022 Women's Final Schedule, Prediction and Prize Money

Ashleigh Barty has been unstoppable in her quest to become the first Australian woman to win the Australian Open since 1978. 

The No. 1 seed in the women's singles bracket has not lost a set on her way to Saturday's final inside Rod Laver Arena. 

Barty won the 2019 French Open and Wimbledon in 2021. A victory in Melbourne would put her a U.S. Open title away from the career Grand Slam. 

American Danielle Collins stands in Barty's way of a triumph on home soil. The No. 27 seed has been fantastic down under with four straight-set victories, with the last two coming in the last two rounds. 

Collins will be playing in her first Grand Slam final, and she is aiming to become the fourth player to win her first major title in Australia in the last seven years. 

       

Australian Open Women's Singles Final Info

Date: Saturday, January 29

Start Time: 3:30 a.m. ET

TV: ESPN 

Live Stream: ESPN+ and ESPN app

Prize Money: Winner ($2.875 million), Runner-up ($1.575 million)

      

Prediction

Ashleigh Barty over Danielle Collins In 2 Sets

None of Ashleigh Barty's Australian Open opponents have come close to beating her. 

Madison Keys and Jessica Pegula combined to win six games off the No. 1 seed in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. 

Barty lost four games once in a set. That came in the fourth round against Amanda Anisimova, who was the first of three Americans in a row that she beat to reach the final. 

Barty is 2-0 in her two Grand Slam final appearances. All four of her set victories in those finals were by three games or more. 

The only set Barty lost in a final came against Karolina Pliskova at Wimbledon last year in a second-set tiebreak. 

Barty is 3-1 in her career against Collins, who won the last head-to-head meeting in Adelaide, Australia, last season. 

That result may not mean anything with the way Barty is playing. Collins needs to play a perfect match just to have a chance to win a set off the No. 1 seed. 

Collins will be going up against Barty and the pro-Barty crowd inside Rod Laver Arena. That could give the No. 1 seed an extra push if she struggles. 

The No. 27 seed also carries a disadvantage in experience at this level since Barty has played in two previous Grand Slam title matches. 

Collins is in the best possible form to spring an upset. She won her last two matches in straight sets, and the last victory came over a previous major champion in Iga Swiatek.

A Collins victory is not impossible, but if she does not play mistake-free tennis, she could be the fourth straight American to lose to Barty in her home major.