BARTY LIFTS HER GAME ON CLAY BUT ‘NOT FAVOURITE’
A RED-HOT Ash Barty admits she‘s a superior clay court player to when she won the 2019 French Open but the world No 1 doesn’t believe she deserves favouritism at Roland Garros.
Despite enjoying a stunning clay court season — which has included a title in Stuttgart and finals appearance in Madrid — the Australian says it‘s a “clean slate” when she heads to the French capital at the end of the month.
“I would like to think after a couple of years’ experience playing on it, more matches, playing in different clay and different conditions (that I‘m better),” Barty said.
“I‘d love to say I’ve learnt more and been able to kind of hone my craft more on clay but in my eyes I certainly don’t go into Paris as the favourite, not by any means.
“I think there are some exceptional clay courters, some of the best we have ever seen probably across our sport that are playing at the moment so I go into it with a really clean slate, with fresh eyes.
“I‘ll be trying to do the best I can whether that’s a firstround, a quarter or a final, whatever it is.”
Barty, 25, continues what has been a gruelling clay court campaign at the Italian Open in Rome this week after a much-needed two days off the court.
Over an 18-day stretch she played 14 matches — 10 singles with six of them going to three sets and four doubles — losing just once to Aryna Sabalenka in the Madrid Open final on Sunday. After sitting out last year because of COVID-19, the Queenslander is confident there won‘t be any burnout because of the hectic schedule before the French Open.
“Even though there is a grand slam coming up in a few weeks’ time my priority is here in Rome,” she said. “I‘ve prepared the best that we can and we know we have got plenty of time after Rome to prepare for Roland Garros.
“I think it‘s a good problem to have, when you have played a lot of matches and you’re trying to find rest. I think that’s a lot better than trying to find matches and trying to manufacture extra tournaments and extra match play.”