Ashleigh Barty flew under the radar at last year’s US Open, but the affable Aussie won’t be able to do that this year as the No. 2 seed.
The 23-year-old scored her first Grand Slam title at the French Open and became only the second Australian woman to hold the No. 1 ranking in June. Barty spoke with USOpen.org about coffee, Coco Gauff and her whirlwind season.
USOpen.org: Some players love New York, and others have had to learn to love it. Where do you fall?
Ashleigh Barty: I love it. I love the city; I love the conditions. New York can present some of the most grueling conditions to play tennis in. It’s a unique Grand Slam and an incredible way to cap off the Grand Slam year for us, so I can’t wait to get back there.
USOpen.org: Last year was a breakout tournament for you, reaching the second week at a Slam for the first time and winning the doubles with CoCo Vandeweghe. How much did that kick-start the success you’ve had over the last 12 months?
Ashleigh Barty: It was another chapter in my story, sort of a bookmark chapter. That was new for me in singles, and then finally getting over that last hurdle in doubles was incredible, but it’s been a buildup over the last three years. I’ve been more and more consistent each year, and we’re building on that this year. Hopefully we have another chance to go deep in the event. We’ll do the best we can to prepare and be ready to go for that first round.
USOpen.org: What are some of the things you like doing in New York on your down time, or what you would like to be able to do?
Ashleigh Barty: I just love to walk around. My parents come over most of the time, and they love it, as well. On the days when I’m not playing, they’ll go and walk 10 or 15 kilometers around the city. I love getting lost in Central Park, going for a stroll and people watching, watching all the different sports being played and all the puppies running around. For me, that’s a way to switch off. There are some good Aussie coffee shops popping up in the city, as well. I’m pretty easy to please.
USOpen.org: You played Coco Gauff in an exhibition match last week at the Winston-Salem Open. What do you make of her and the summer she’s had?
Ashleigh Barty: What she was able to achieve during Wimbledon and even before then is remarkable. She shows maturity beyond her years. I came out for my morning session [in Winston-Salem], and she was already on court working away for 90 minutes. The results were already there, and the work ethic is incredible already. But getting to know her, not just as a tennis player but as a person, has been the best thing.
USOpen.org: You’ve spoken about life on the road being challenging for you at one time. What are some of the things you do now to make it more manageable that you didn’t do a few years ago?
Ashleigh Barty: I still find it challenging, that’s for sure. I promised myself over the last 18 months that I would go home to Australia more often. Even though we still can’t go home all the time, it’s finding those little opportunities where you can.
But while I’m on the road, I have an incredible team around me. Once the match is done and the working day is over, we’ll play different cricket games, soccer games, footie games. We just try to mix it up and stay fresh. And we’ve got great banter among our team. There isn’t a day that goes by where we’re not laughing about something, which is the best thing.
