From Big Bash to Aussie smash for Barty

Less than three years after playing a season of Big Bash professional cricket, Ipswich-born ashleigh Barty has transformed herself into an australian tennis heroine. The 22-year-old part-indigenous australian is the first woman from the home nation to reach the quarter-finals for 10 years. she now faces world no 6 Petra Kvitova after an engrossing fourth-round match in which she fought off the relentless, challenge of Maria sharapova to win 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. Barty (right) looks back on her season playing cricket with Brisbane Heat as a transformative period before a return to tennis. ‘absolutely, I needed to take that time away,’ she said. ‘I feel like I came back a better person on and off the court, a better tennis player. For me, having that 18 months off was vital. ‘One of the goals we set out was that we wanted to go deep into the slams. It’s amazing that it’s happened in australia. ‘I have given myself the opportunity and the chance to play in front of the best crowd in the world on one of the best courts in the world and in my home slam. There is absolutely nothing better.’ sharapova turned herself into even more of a pantomime villain by taking a ridiculously long seven-minute toilet break after Barty had turned the match around by winning the second set. after being booed back on to the court, sharapova almost came back from 4-0 down in the decider but Barty just about held her nerve. another severe test now awaits, after Kvitova beat american teenager amanda anisimova for the loss of only three games. sharapova is not the only big name absentee from the bottom half of the women’s draw. Wimbledon champion angelique Kerber was hammered 6-0, 6-2 in just 56 minutes by america’s Danielle Collins. wimbledon is considering updating its ballot for tickets by replacing the current method of sending in a stamped addressed envelope with an online system.