She was fifteen when Ashleigh Barty first played in the main competition at the Australian Open. She became the world’s number two junior and the tennis experts were clear: A new tennis superstar is born! This was confirmed immediately when, at the age of sixteen, she first appeared in the Fed-Australia nomination in 2013.
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However, it was the lightning success that did not benefit the native of Ipswich, Australia, and a year later, at the age of seventeen, she interrupted her career. “It was unusual, but I was the victim of my own success. Everything went too fast. I couldn’t do it mentally,” the tennis player describes the difficult moments.
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Cricket has become another young lady’s life goal. And even here she was one of the best in the Brisbane Heat team, whose colors she defended.
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However, it did not last long without tennis. A few months later, she returned to the courts in style. And her path to the tennis heaven was largely paved by Czech tennis players.
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Her already mentioned Fedcup debut in 2013 took place in the first round against the Czech Republic in Ostrava. The young Australian woman intervened in the final doubles in a decided situation, when the Czechs with Petra Kvitová and Lucie Šafářová led 3: 0 in the team. Alongside Casey Dellacquová, however, even 16-year-old Barty did not get a point, the pair Hlaváčková and Hradecká did not give the Australians a chance.
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Ashleigh Barty after the triumph at WimbledonPhoto: Toby Melville, Reuters
Another big clash with Czech tennis came in the finals of the French Open, where she met in the fight for the title in life form played by nineteen-year-old Czech Markéta Vondroušová. It was the first grand slam final for both of them and the battle of nerves was better managed by Bartyová, who passed the Sokolov native 6: 1, 6: 3.
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“It’s unbelievable and wonderful. I played a perfect match. I’m proud of myself and my team. It’s been a crazy two weeks. Markéta is the comet of the season and has a lot of other grand slam finals ahead of her,” Bartyová predicted for the Czech Republic.
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A few days later, she became world number one for the first time, and apart from three weeks in August 2019, she has held her post to this day.
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Another key meeting with Czech tennis came at last year’s Australian Open, where in the quarterfinal battle to the grief of local fans, she fell in the quarterfinals with Karolína Muchová 6: 3, 3: 6, 2: 6.
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The second grand slam title was won by one of the most likable tennis players at Wimbledon, and how else after the victory over Karolína Plíšková after the battle 6: 3, 6: 7 and 6: 3. And even here, the Australian bowed to the performance of her opponent. “Congratulations to Carolina for what she did here. I really like to fight you and I believe that we will meet many more times, “said the world number one.
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Her wishes will no longer be fulfilled. She won her third and final grand slam title in front of domestic fans at this year’s Australian Open.
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Bartyová and Petra Kvitová fought a number of unforgettable battles. In ten mutual duels, each scored five wins. Among the most important are the quarterfinal duels at the Australian Open. In 2019, a Czech star rejoiced, a year later an Australian.
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“I will still love tennis, it’s been a huge part of my life, but I think it’s time to enjoy what Ash Barty likes as a person and not Ash Barty as an athlete,” the champion decided on her next pilgrimage.
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