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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 18, 2017

Ashleigh Barty

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

A. BARTY/S. Rogers

7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. New territory for you at a Grand Slam. How does it feel?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Amazing, yeah. Really exciting. I had goosebumps on the court. It was so nice to play well today. Regardless of the result, I would have been very happy. Now everything for me is a bonus.

Q. Is this your biggest singles win, considering the stage?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yes and no. I think every match has different circumstances. But obviously we're pretty happy with how we played tonight. We were able to go out there and execute what we wanted to do.

Yeah, it was certainly nice to come out with a win. I think those ones will hurt quite a bit if you're coming out on the wrong end.

Q. How would you compare that performance to playing Kerber, the level you played, at least for the two sets?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I think it's hard to compare because they're completely different opponents and a different situation.

But I was obviously very pleased with both of them. But, yeah, tonight's pretty exciting for everyone involved within my team and my family. So it's pretty cool to be in the third round of a slam.

Q. You looked pretty in control, regardless of the tightness of the scoreline in the first set. Did you feel like you always had the upper hand?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I don't think so. I think it was pretty close. It was a very serve-dominated first set from what it felt from my end. It will be interesting to look at the stats and see what it was like.

But, no, we're just happy that we were able to get that first set out of the way. Pretty big game to start the second, that first game of the second set.

Q. You mentioned Casey Dellacqua, her involvement getting you back in tennis. Talk through how that happened.
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I went down to see Case, talk about all things life, around Sydney International last year. Yeah, we actually sat down in the backyard. We were having a barbecue. Yeah, we were chatting about all the experiences we went through. Sort of, I mean, for both of us we have unfinished business.

I think it's going to be really exciting getting out on court with her tomorrow. Regardless of the result, we're going to go out there and have fun. It will be just like old times.

Q. Do you think you probably would have come back as soon as you had if she didn't urge you? Did she have to talk you into it?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: It's tough to know. She didn't really have to talk me into it. I think deep down I knew it was the right time anyway. It was nice to have Case there. She's like a big sister to me. It was nice to just have her to sort of chat through it with.

But I think deep down I knew it was the right time anyway.

Q. A lot has changed since you played here last time. Have new players coming on the scene helped take the pressure away from you as you're coming back?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Again, yes and no. I'm a lot of different this time. I will have prepared much better, play within myself now more this time. We're much more confident out on the court. We know what we need to do regardless of what round we're in, what court.

I think it's nice to have a lot of the young girls out here as well, with Jaimee doing so well, as well. Having Lizette and Destanee on the court and obviously Sam and Dash leading the way. So it's nice to have a nice Aussie contingent again.

Q. (No microphone.)
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I mean, I'll sit down with my coach and have a chat about it. I've only played Mona once. She absolutely flogged me off the court. It's an opportunity for us to go out there and have fun and just enjoy it. It's a bonus from where we are right now.

Q. Getting deeper in the tournament, do you take time off, maybe not practice every day? You have doubles, too.
ASHLEIGH BARTY: No, not at all. We still go out and practice. We've got doubles tomorrow, which I'm pretty pumped about. We'll go out there and play doubles and then prepare like any other match. Doesn't matter if I'm the first round quallies of a 50 or the third round of a slam. Doesn't matter for me.

Q. Mona has had a couple of injuries. She came through qualifying. Do you think she's probably worthy of perhaps a higher ranking?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: To be honest, I haven't seen her play. I don't really watch a lot of tennis. I haven't seen her play. She must be playing some amazing tennis to qualify and be in the third round of a slam. You don't get there easily.

I haven't seen many of her matches lately. We'll have to have a sit-down and have a look.

Q. Did you come into the tournament with any kind of expectation? What would be a success to you?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Just coming out here and playing well. I think that was the most important thing. Staying healthy. Getting through the tournament. Just playing well and being free out on the court, sort of trying to execute our plans. But it's certainly nice to be able to play three singles matches to do that.

Q. Back in the day, the hands were great, the tennis IQ was strong, the power game was always something that was lacking. Nowadays you look like a very different player on the court. How much of the injection of power and pace to your game is a matter of you getting bigger and stronger and how much of it is mental intent on the court?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I think it's both. Having sort of planned with my coach, then working on the physical side with my strength and conditioning coach. They work amazingly together. I think it's a credit to them that we're able to come out here and back it up each match, mentally and physically be ready and be in each match. It's nice to go out there and feel like we belong right from the get-go.

Q. Any remnants of cricket hitting the beegesus out of a ball translate to tennis?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: No, it's completely different.

Q. Does it feel sweeter that it's an individual sport rather than being part of a team?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: For me it doesn't matter. I still get just as much of a thrill out of watching the girls win a match whether I was playing or not. Still now, when I stream their games, I love watching them win and play well. Hopefully they're sitting back tonight with a smile on their face seeing me out here sort of playing well and having fun.

Q. Does it matter what court you're on?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Doesn't matter for me. Could be out on 15 for all I care.

Q. 11 unforced errors today in that match against a good player. Talk about that specific stat. How comfortable were you out there? Was it the ball you were seeing?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I mean, sometimes those things just click for you. Tonight I felt great. I felt like I was in control, had full control of the ball off my racquet. It's certainly nice when those things come together. It feels horrific when it doesn't.

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