“There’s No Extra Pressure” – Ashleigh Barty Ahead of Australian Open 2020

World Number one tennis player Ashleigh Barty lifted up the first title on her home soil on Saturday. The title in Adelaide also made her clear-favorite of her home Slam in Australia.

Upon landing in Melbourne Ash saw her posters to be ubiquitous in Melbourne Park. As an Aussie tennis player, the professionals generally deal with pressure to win the Australian Open. And when you are number one in the world and just won a title, the pressure on the home turf multiplies.

However, the top-seed Ashleigh Barty is wisely tackling the external pressure and she isn’t letting anything sink in within her. She has abstained from all the headlines from media and just focusing on herself. “My face is everywhere a little bit, isn’t it? I’m a bit sick of it, to be honest,” Barty laughed.

“There’s no extra pressure,” she said. “I don’t read the papers. I don’t kind of look into any more than I need to. I’m here with my team trying to do the best that we can. It’s amazing to have so much support and so much love from the Australian public. I’ve really felt that in an exceptional way over the last 12 months. It’s been incredible,” Barty added.

“I’m happy. I’m healthy” – Ashleigh Barty 

On Saturday she won the title in Adelaide, but Barty doesn’t consider it to bolstered her run in Melbourne. Nevertheless, she is confident with her form and looking forward to doing something remarkable amidst her home crowd. In 2019, Ash Barty beat Maria Sharapova to book her maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal berth in Melbourne.

“Regardless of whether I won the title or not last week, I feel like I’m well-prepared. I’m happy, I’m healthy. I’m coming into the first Grand Slam of the year with a smile on my face. That’s all I can ask of myself. Really special to be able to have won a title last week, my first on Australian soil. Third time lucky is a charm as well,” she added.

Over the past 12 months, Ashleigh Barty has done a phenomenal job on the WTA Tour. In 2019 Ash Barty made her Grand Slam breakthrough at Roland Garros. Her match-winning streak did not end there. She went on to claim the title in Birmingham which drove her to WTA’s apex. 

Read More – “It Was a Pleasure Watching Ashleigh Barty Play” – Roger Federer

She wrapped up the year in the best possible manner. The Aussie ace defeated the reigning champion

Elina Svitolina at the WTA Finals in Shenzhen and ended the year as number one.

At the Australian Open 2020, Ashleigh Barty is drawn to open against Lesia Tsurenko from Ukraine.