Ash Barty’s exceptional road trip continues, one that has taken her away from her Australian home for a long time, one that has produced a high level of success, including the Wimbledon title in July.
Coming off her fourth title of the season at the Western & Southern Open on Aug. 22, Barty is the world’s top-ranked player and a clear favorite at the U.S. Open.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and Australia’s strict protocols, Barty, 25, stayed home from March of last year until March of this year. In 2020, she did not play a single match after March, including the Open, Wimbledon and the French Open, where she was the defending champion. And because there still are stringent quarantine protocols for travelers to Australia, Barty hasn’t been back this year. She has been traveling with coach Craig Tyzzer and boyfriend Garry Kissick.
Her long journey, which began with a 50-hour trip from Australia to Miami, has been fruitful. She won in Miami and also Stuttgart, Germany. After winning at Wimbledon, she now has a chance to become the first woman since Angelique Kerber in 2016 to win two majors in the same year and has an opening-round match at the Open against Vera Zvonareva, an Open and Wimbledon finalist in 2010.
After Barty won in Cincinnati, she was asked if she was missing home. “It’s Day 159, but no one’s counting, right?” she joked, adding that she has “struggled physically and mentally” at times, but has managed to remain relentlessly positive.
“This journey for me this year has been remarkable, it’s been incredible,” Barty said on Friday at the National Tennis Center. “Even though there have been some tough moments, that’s made the better moments all the more enjoyable. I think being able to see the positives and learn from both sides has been a crucial part of our year. We’ve had a lot of fun. We’ve tried to lighten up every day, laugh, smile, make the most of the position we’re in. We’re very fortunate and very grateful that we’re here doing what we love.”
Barty has an easy, smiling demeanor, and she enjoys a good a laugh, which in the end was all she could do after the 50-hour trip from Australia to Miami. “Most of that laughter has come from experiences off the court,” she said. “The flight over here, I swear it was the world telling me I shouldn’t be leaving Australia. But we have to laugh about it. It’s become such a beautiful story for me this year. It’s become such a beautiful year on the tennis court. All of those distractions, experiences, everything that’s come with it has made it all the better.”
There will be some substantial hurdles to jump in her half of the draw as Barty, the No. 1 seed, pursues her first Open title. She could face rising French star Clara Burel in the second round and possibly take on friend and doubles partner Jennifer Brady of the United States in the fourth round. The 2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek could be a quarterfinal opponent and Naomi Osaka, the 2020 Open champ, could be a semifinal foe. Regardless, Barty’s happy to be back in New York.
“It was disappointing not to play here in New York last year. Pretty strange circumstances for everyone. It’s certainly nice to be back here now,” she said. “It feels like a long time since I’ve been back at New York. This week is going to be exciting. It’s got fans. That’s going to bring a lot of energy to this tournament. This is a tournament that thrives with the energy. I can’t wait to get started.”
