BARTY PARTY ROLLS ON
PLAYING with freedom and no fear, Ashleigh Barty has powered into the Australian Open third round without even a coach.
Barty clubbed China’s Yafan Wang 6-2, 6-3 yesterday before revealing she’d been largely flying solo during her charge to the last 32.
With trusty mentor Craig Tyzzer quarantining himself from Melbourne Park with a virus, Barty has been leaning on Fed Cup captain Alicia Molik for support while carrying the hopes of the nation.
“He’s crook. He’s on bed rest at the moment,” Barty said. “(I’m) extremely lucky to have a Fed Cup captain in ‘Mol’, who I’ve spent a lot of time with around Fed Cup, as well, but ‘Mol’ is also around a lot of the slams.
“It’s a very seamless transition. I still have the same discussion with ‘Tyz’. It’s just not face to face; it’s over the phone. Then ‘Mol’ is able to relay that as well and to reassure me.”
Barty’s win was her sixth in nine days. she said it was great to be playing in Australia and playing well.
“Yeah, it’s nice to just get into the tournament, to be honest,” she said.
“Very happy with the way I have started 2019, not just here in Melbourne but also in Perth and Sydney — hell of a start.”
A finalist last week in Sydney, where she toppled world No.1 Simona Halep, the 22year-old has surged into fourth favouritism to become the first home winner of the Open since Chris O’Neill in 1978.
Barty, though, insisted the hype was easy to block out.
“I don’t read the papers to start off with,” the Queenslander said. “I can come out here and play with freedom. Play my game.
“When I’m playing well, I’m really enjoying myself out on court and that is all I can ask of every match.
“If I win, it’s a bonus. If I lose, the sun still comes up the next day and it’s all good.”
Barty will play Maria Sakkari tomorrow for a place in the second week of the Open for the first time.
The pair have split their previous two encounters, but Barty is wary after losing to the Greek in straight sets last year in Indian Wells.
“Maria, I’m great friends with and have a really great relationship,” Barty said.
“She’s one of the best movers and competitors out there. Will be very tough.”