Newcombe Medal winner sets sights on Grand Slam win Greats back Barty
EVONNE Goolagong Cawley staunchly believes Newcombe Medallist Ash Barty can win a Grand Slam singles title.
But it is also Barty’s potential to lead Australians to playing tennis because of her stylish game, allied to her feel- good comeback story, which resonates personally with the 66- year- old Goolagong Cawley.
“When I watch Ash play now, it makes me want to play again,” said Australia’s dual Wimbledon champion.
“She has all the skills of be- coming a real champion. She has the hands and she has the power too, as well as a volley and a big serve.
“I watch her and I think, ‘ wow, that must feel good’.”
Seven- time Grand Slam title winner John Newcombe said after presenting Barty, ranked No. 17, with Tennis Australia’s annual best player award on Monday night that she could become a top- 10 player next year and a future Grand Slam singles title winner.
Goolagong Cawley agreed and said a contentment with tennis, so markedly different than when Barty was so un- happy with the tennis tour that she took a 16- month break, had been a clear key to her success in 2017.
“The way she is going now, it ( a Grand Slam title) is possible one day – it seems like a lot of the other players are nervous about playing Ash these days,” Goolagong Cawley said.
“That’s a good sign. She looks so professional, so calm and settles her mind after each shot.
“Just seeing her play recently on television, when she came back from playing cricket, she’s has come a long way.
“I’ve noticed on court she’s really happy to be back in the sport.”
This year the 21- year- old Queenslander posted wins over three women who held the No. 1 ranking in 2017 – Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza, Angelique Kerber and Karolina Pliskova – as well as French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko and England’s top- 10 player Johanna Konta.
“That’s amazing to hear of those very kind words coming from legends like Newk and Evonne,” Barty said.
“One day maybe I can lift a Grand Slam trophy – we’ll see.
“It ( a top 10 ranking) is very close, but it’s about consolidating next year and staying inside the top 20.”
Barty will be unseeded at the Brisbane and Sydney Internationals before playing the Australian Open in her latest bid to make a Grand Slam fourth round for the first time.
“I was back on court training before 8am this morning – what I did this year counts for nothing ( in 2018),” she said.
The Ipswich right- hander said she’d be back training in Brisbane early next month and she wanted to start the season well.