Barty up to do some ‘damage’

SYDNEY: “No worries” is one of Australia’s more notable contributions to the English language but Ash Barty has preferred the mantra “no panic stations” over the last few weeks as she hit the American hardcourts to prepare for the U.S. Open.

Along with the sort of meteoric rise Barty enjoyed when she won the French Open in June comes a corresponding frenzy at any subsequent setback, as if every defeat was the start of a catastrophic spiral back down to earth.

The 23-year-old Australian, though, has given every indication that she will greet such reverses with the same grounded outlook which won her so many fans when she triumphed at Roland Garros. Yes, the purple patch of form that won her a maiden Grand Slam crown, her first Premier title at Miami and the Birmingham tournament in the first five months of the year did eventually come to an end.

And yes, the world number one ranking came and went too, with her hopes of wresting it back to take top seeding at the U.S. Open foundering last weekend with defeat to Svetlana Kuznetsova in the Cincinnati Masters semi-finals. But for Barty it has all been a learning experience

“I’m comfortable in my own skin, comfortable with my team,” added Barty, who has taken to using plural pronouns to discuss her game so as to include her allimportant support staff.

“And obviously when we play our best tennis, I think we can do damage in tournaments and be at the latter stages of tournaments, which is what we are after.

“I think (the) most exciting thing is we are learning and growing every week. There is certainly no panic where it gets to the stage where I’m kind of overwrought or can’t think straight.”