Barty on track for top gong
World No.1 a hot chance for premier Aussie tennis award
THE Barty party that has been in full swing throughout 2019 is expected to continue at tonight’s Newcombe Medal.
World No.1 Ash Barty is one of five nominees for the top individual award in Australian tennis, with the star hotly tipped to cap her stellar year with another gong.
Barty, 23, is trying to claim a third consecutive medal after sharing honours with Alex De Minaur last year, having claimed four singles titles — including the French Open and recent WTA finals — and surging to the top ranking.
She is the first female Australian to finish the season as world No. 1.
“It’s been an incredible 12 months for me and my team and it’s an honour to be nominated for the Newcombe Medal alongside an amazing group of players,’’ Barty said when she was nominated last month. “We’ve all had a great year and I’m really looking forward to celebrating with them.”
The Queenslander — who is nominated alongside De Minaur, Dylan Alcott, Ajla Tomljanovic and John Millman will attend tonight’s event at Crown Palladium — is second-favourite to win the Australian Open in January.
Former world No. 4 Jelena Dokic yesterday declared that Barty could “definitely win” the year’s first grand slam, while Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley said the summer would prove to be an exciting one for Australia.
“It’s the first time in 17 years that Australia will have a No. 1 player coming into the Australian Open,” he said.