Obstacles galore await Wimbledon favourite Barty

LONDON REUTERS June 28: The angle of Ash Barty's climb to the top of women's tennis has been so steep, the rise so fast, that the sight of her name perched on top of the Wimbledon draw as top seed and favourite still requires a second glance.

A month ago when the French Open began the 23-yearold Australian was just another name in a wide- open women's field being spoken about as a title contender.

When she walks on court on Monday she will do so as the newest member of the Grand Slam winners' club and as world number one, just three years after returning to the sport she quit at the end of 2014 for cricket.

In her own words the last few weeks have been a “whirlwind” and while the tranquillity of the All England Club in the days leading up to the Championships offers a chance to catch breath, she knows it is only a temporary lull.

Reaching the summit is one thing but setting up camp there is an entirely different proposition, especially at Wimbledon where Barty is joined by 14 other Grand Slam champions and four finalists in a draw fraught with danger.

Barty could face Spain's 2017 Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza in the third round and awaiting in the quarter-finals could be defending champion Angelique Kerber or seven- times winner Serena Williams with twice champion Petra Kvitova a potential obstacle in the semi-final.

Predicting the outcome of women's Grand Slams has been a fool's game since Serena Williams earned her 23rd title at the 2017 Australian Open before breaking off to have a baby.

Eight different players have won the nine Grand Slams since then with only Japan's Naomi Osaka winning two.