AUSTRALIAN OPEN Federer-like Barty lauded Hewitt compares Aussie ace with all-time great

LLEYTON Hewitt likens Ashleigh Barty’s ability to manoeuvre opponents into uncomfortable positions to Roger Federer’s match-winning brilliance, predicting the Queenslander will benefit from a first-round Australian Open scare.

The last Aussie to reach a Melbourne Park singles final, in 2005, ex-world No.1 Hewitt had sensed Barty would have a tough time against Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko.

But he now expects Barty to thrive after her first-round test.

“Ash came through some tough matches in Adelaide too, and that will help her here,” he said. “The women’s draw is wide open, but she obviously has the weapons to do well here.

“Her forehand is her biggest weapon and the other thing she does – and it’s what Roger Federer does – is put her opponents into uncomfortable positions on the court.

“She’s got more variety than any other player on the women’s side. That makes it uncomfortable for her opponents. She’s similar to Roger going back a bit – she puts players into places on the court they’re not used to.”

Barty turned potential disaster into a runaway 5-7 6-1 6-1 triumph with trademark guile and tenacity.

“Yes, it was disappointing to not start as well as I would have liked,” she said.

“All in all, I think it was really nice to be able to tighten the screws, run away with it in the second and third.

“I think it was important for me to try and bring it back to my side a little bit more, play more my style of tennis.”

Barty next meets Slovenia’s Polona Hercog – a 6-3 6-3 winner over Swede Rebecca Peterson in a rain-delayed contest.

French Open champion Barty acknowledged the challenges of performing at home, especially on a day when rain made the player facilities more congested than usual.

“It’s busy with singles and doubles players, mixed players, families, coaches, everyone underneath – it’s just chaos,” she said.

“When you’re able to separate that from when you step on the court is when you can do a little bit better ... feel a little bit more comfortable.”

“I feel like we’ve been able to do that better and better with each slam.”

TODAY’S

Men’s second round:

6-Stefanos Tsitsipas v Philipp Kohlschreiber; Tatsuma Ito v 2-Novak Djokovic; 31-Hubert Hurkacz v JOHN MILLMAN (AUS); MARC POLMANS (AUS) v Dušan Lajović; JORDAN THOMPSON (AUS) v Fabio Fognini.

Women’s second round:

3-Naomi Osaka v Zheng Saisai; 1-ASH BARTY (AUS) v Polona Hercog; Paula Badosa v 7-Petra Kvitová; Tamara Zidanšek v 8-Serena Williams