‘ IT’S ONCE IN A LIFETIME THAT SOMEONE LIKE ASH COMES ALONG. BUT WHATEVER SHE DOES, SHE’S GOING TO ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS AND WE RESPECT HER DECISION’
makeshift green in the Yarra River inMelbourne. “She’s got a great swing, are you kiddingme?”Woods said. Barty started playing tennis at the age of four and began her professional career 10 years later at an International Tennis Federation event. In 2011 she played her first junior Grand Slam tournament inMelbourne. Later that year shewon theWimbledon girls’ title. Havingmade her debut on theWTA tour in 2012, she soonmade good progress, but in September 2014 she took that break from the sport before returning in 2016. By February 2017 she hadwon her first WTA title at the Malaysian Open. In June 2019 she became the first Australianwoman for 46 years to win the French Openwhen she beat Marketa Vondrousova in the final. Within a fortnight she had risen to No 1 in the world
rankings after winning the title at Edgbaston. Following her 11-month break from competition during the pandemic, Barty soon showed that she had lost none of her talent for winningmatches as she reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open. Even better was to follow in the summer as she became the first Australianwoman to reach aWimbledon singles final since Evonne Goolagong in 1980. She emulated Goolagong, who has long been her mentor, by winning the title. When Barty won her third Grand Slam title at this year’s Australian Open, beating Danielle Collins in the final and not dropping a set in any of her sevenmatches, her place at the top of the sport seemed secure for a goodwhile to come. However, with hindsight, her
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