Aussie fighting spirit serves Barty well
PACESETTER Comanche was last night being reeled in by the four other supermaxis after a fascinating first day of the 75th Sydney to Hobart yacht classic.
Two-time line honours winner Comanche had led for most yesterday, bar a slow start, with InfoTrack winning the battle to be first boat through Sydney Heads.
Comanche rocketed from fifth to first, as it got into open water away from the large spectator fleet, and led by up to seven nautical miles from InfoTrack at one stage in the afternoon.
It powered along in favourable northerly winds of up to 25 knots, travelling across the water at a similar rate.
But with the forecast change in wind strength and direction later last night, it was
ASHLEIGH Barty wants it known she’s not only the world No.1, but also one of tennis’s biggest fighters.
Barty will enter the new year as very much the hunted following her stunning 2019 campaign.
But for all the trophies and accolades she has accrued, it is Barty’s remarkable comefrom-behind record that underpins her unprecedented rise from outside the top 10 to year-end No.1.
Not only did she win a tourbest always on the cards that lead would be eroded.
Seven hours into the race, nine-times line honours winner Wild Oats XI had slashed Comanche’s lead to four miles.
The other three supermaxis – InfoTrack, Black Jack and SHK Scallywag – were all within three miles of Wild Oats XI.
“When it gets a little bit lighter the narrower boats, the Black Jacks and Scallywags, they come into their own in those lighter conditions,” Cruising Yacht Club of Australia commodore Paul Billingham said.
While the quintet of supermaxis were around race record pace, their speed dropped as the hours progressed. 57 matches, the 23-yearold racked up an unrivalled 13 victories from a set down.
“I think that’s an Australian quality – we all want to be known as fighters,” Barty said.
“I certainly want to be known, when my career is done, as someone who was respected by their peers, gave everything on the court and never kind of rolled over.”
Barty completed comeback wins over Belinda Bencic and world No.2 Karolina Pliskova en route to the title at the season-ending its championships in China. But it is her fightback from a set and 3-0 down against Amanda Anisimova in the French Open semis, having blown a 5-0 lead in the first set, that really shows Barty has the substance to match the style.
“There have been so many different moments throughout the year that I’ve been extremely proud of myself and some maybe less obvious to the rest of the world than it is to me,” she said.