In pictures: Rod Laver, Russell Crowe, Saoirse Ronan among celebrities in attendance at 2022 Australian Open women's final

Ashleigh Barty became the first homegrown Australian Open women's singles champion since 1978 by defeating Danielle Collins 6-3, 7-6(2) in the final on Sunday.

The World No. 1 had the weight of an entire continent on her shoulders going into the match, with some of the biggest faces in Australia descending on Rod Laver Arena to watch one of their own.

Tennis legend Rod Laver, a permanent fixture in Australian Open matches over the years, graced the arena with his presence. So did 1978 women's singles winner Chris O'Neil, the player Barty was looking to emulate.

Rod Laver did not miss Ashleigh Barty creating history at the Rod Laver Arena

Chris O'Neil watched another Australian lift the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup after a 44-year wait

Also in attendance were five-time Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Ian Thorpe and Cathy Freeman, who won the women's 400m gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Australian swimming legend Ian Thorpe at the Rod Laver Arena

Several Australians from the entertainment industry also gathered to watch Barty create history, including Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe and Golden Globe-winning producer Bruna Papandrea. Critically acclaimed actresses Teresa Palmer and Saoirse Ronan were also spotted during the match.

Russell Crowe had a court-side seat to witness Barty in action

Actress Saoirse Ronan at the Rod Laver Arena to watch Ashleigh Barty in action

The surprise appearance of the night was reserved for tennis legend Evonne Goolagong Crawley, who handed over the trophy to Barty.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion is one of Barty's idols. She was also the last Australian to be ranked WTA No. 1 before Barty.

Ashleigh Barty's day was made even more special by receiving the trophy from Evonne Goolagong Cawley

Ashleigh Barty won the 2022 Australian Open without dropping a single set

Ashleigh Bary completed the "Surface Slam" following her Australian Open triumph

Ashleigh Barty produced one of the most dominant displays in a Grand Slam in recent times to take home the title. The 25-year-old won the tournament without dropping a set and had her serve broken only thrice across seven matches -- two of them coming against Danielle Collins in the final.

Since the turn of the year, Barty has won 11 matches on the trot and finishes the Australian swing undefeated. The only player who managed to take a set off the World No. 1 during this run was Coco Gauff (second round at the Adelaide International).

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Also check out: Updated WTA WoMen's Tennis Rankings