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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 16, 2017

Ashleigh Barty

Cincinnati, Ohio

A. BARTY/V. Williams

6-3, 2-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Would this one be the biggest of your career, would you say?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I think so, certainly from a rankings point of view. But no, I'm just happy with the way we played today.

As I said on court, it really is a privilege to be able to share the court with Venus. She's an amazing champion, and how she's still playing so well, still making slam finals is, yeah, it's amazing. To be able to share the court with her and play well today, it was really exciting.

Q. Can you elaborate? I know tennis and cricket and then tennis. Can you explain a bit how you decided to leave tennis and go to cricket and come back?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: For me, I just needed to take some time and refresh, be myself a little bit. I wasn't expecting to go into cricket. It just sort of came up for me.

Obviously I'm very happy now, back playing tennis. I'm happy and healthy and playing well.

Q. You were saying you were about to go get a massage. Can you kind of tell me a little bit about your process? How much training, playing, what do you do to recover?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, obviously it was a little bit different today, playing doubles, as well. But you guys kindly interrupt my recovery (smiling).

But no, we just go about our normal routine and see the physio, do whatever you need to do. I think the biggest thing is sleep, getting ready for tomorrow.

Q. So sleep is the key?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah. I think if you ask anyone, everyone recovers differently, but for me certainly sleep is a big thing.

Q. I know you play a lot of doubles. How do you think that's incorporated into helping your singles game?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, doubles has certainly helped my singles. Not just being in different places on the court but experiences. I have played on some big courts in doubles and some big finals and certainly some big matches, and I think I feel more comfortable out on big stages now, and I think that's got a lot to do with doubles.

And obviously doubles I get to go out there with my best mate and enjoy and really have a good time and sort of remember why we play tennis in the first place.

Q. This is your first top-10 win over a singles player in the top 10. What's that mean to you and what do you feel was working well for you today on the court?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, it's really exciting to have my first top-10 win. I've lost a few of them but have been getting closer and closer. I think today we played more of a complete match.

I served well, which was going to be really important. I think I was able to, at times, not get into Venus' service games, but when I was able to, we tried to make the most of it. You know, I think my slice today was very effective, as well.

Q. Tennis has always had a strong tradition in Australia. How is it now with younger children coming up and playing? Is it pretty popular or are there other sports that everybody is more interested in playing?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, I think there are always other sports. In Australia we are a very big sporting nation. I think kids play lots of different sports through high school, junior school even, and sort of dip their toes into a bit of everything and see what they like.

But I think tennis is pretty strong in Australia, and I think I feel the junior girls coming up are doing well. Obviously there is always the next generation coming and coming.

Q. A win over Venus, what do you take out of it? What's it mean for you?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, I think just massive, massive amounts of confidence. To be able to beat a champion like Venus is just really cool, and I think that, you know, today we played really well and were able to execute on a big stage.

It's never easy playing someone in their home country, and I think for me I didn't really think about that too much today. But no, it was just a privilege for me to be able to share the court with Venus. I can now say I have played both Venus and Serena, which I think is pretty cool in a career in itself.

Q. How hard is it to keep a straight face when you are playing Daria Gavrilova in doubles?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Good old Dash (smiling). No, for me, it's easy. We laugh at some things. And Case and I rarely have a straight face on a doubles court in the best of days.

We laugh at Dash when she does some amazing things. She's always there for a good time. But when we are playing, it's game on, and then at the end of the game we shake hands and it's like nothing ever happened.

Q. I have been asking all the players about what it's like to have to eat a healthy diet all the time. When you do treat yourself, what are some of your favorite candies or treats or ice creams or anything like that?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, yeah, I think it depends where you are. Really, obviously when you're in Italy or Rome, you might go out and have a gelato.

Yeah, I think everyone is different. They sort of will treat themselves whether they play a good match or whether it's one day in a week or whatever it is. Yeah, I think maybe depends where you are. You try to experience different cultures a little bit.

Q. What's your favorite thing?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Here?

Q. Anywhere.
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, I mean, gelato in Rome is pretty good (laughter). But yeah, I think we sort of keep a reasonably balanced and similar diet, even, no matter where you are in the world.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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