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SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL

January 11, 2019

Ashleigh Barty

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

A. BARTY/K. Bertens

6-7, 6-4, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. There are some great names on the trophy here. We have been banging on about the Aussie Open. Tell us about Sydney.
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, you guys have been talking about the Australian Open. I have been trying to talk about here (smiling).

No, it's really exciting to be in another final and to be in a final at home, as well. I think the last Australian woman to win it was Mol. And it's really nice having her in my corner as my Fed Cup captain. I love playing under her, and I love having the support that she gives me.

Q. Do you know the history of Australian tennis, and have you read much about the trophy and all the Australian players?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Ah, yes and no. I've followed probably some more than others. I'm not really one to sit down and watch too much tennis, as it is. The only history that I know is that that I've researched and genuinely followed, which probably stems mostly from Evonne. And obviously now Mol is our Fed Cup captain, and she's a little bit more recent in our playing time.

Yeah, probably those two, for the most part of it. But we are so lucky in Australia to have such a rich history across both the male and female side. It's also kind of hard to not know what's happening because it's been so amazing.

Q. How are you feeling physically and mentally? You have had a few draining matches.
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I feel great. It's obviously nice playing touch matches at the start of the season when you are fresh, but that's why we put in all the work to make sure we pull up well afterwards and to have that longevity throughout the whole season, not just in the early parts of the week.

Q. (Indiscernible question.)
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, right.

Q. You were up 4-1 in the first-set tiebreaker and lost about 10 points in a row, something like that. How do you come back from that?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, two of the points in the tiebreak from 4-1, I hesitated a little bit and changed my mind on a couple of forehands and that's what cost me in the end. And in the next service game, Kiki came out and served well. So certainly no panic stations, nothing to worry about. Then when it was my turn to serve again, I was able to kind of get the ball rolling in my direction.

Q. Do you take confidence in what you're doing, feeling good? The poise?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I think trust in what we have done, as well, and what the process is that we have followed. My team and I have put in a lot of hard work. The team behind me has done exceptionally well to, you know, to push me and to drive me to be the best I can be, and I have full trust in that. Knowing I can go out and play with freedom and play my style of tennis is when I play my best.

Q. You have played her a couple of times and gotten past her. Were there lessons you took from those previous times?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I think one was maybe 2011 or '12. It was a while ago. Obviously most recently in Montreal in very tricky conditions. You can take bits and pieces out of it, but that's very different conditions. A different match altogether.

There are certainly some things I know I need to look out for and some things I know I need to execute. But from the other matches, it's hard to take too much.

Q. Any preference for who you might face in the final?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: No, no preference. Obviously they have to play tonight. Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't mind if they have a long match like I did.

No, certainly no preference. Whoever is able to get through, they have both have had amazing weeks and extremely confident weeks. It will be tough no matter what.

Q. (Question about Petra.)
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I remember that was one of Petra's first tournaments back, I think. You know, it was amazing to have her back. In that final I didn't do much wrong at all. She just played the Petra way, particularly in the third, and got the ball rolling.

Yeah, I mean, I didn't do too much wrong. It was a pretty emotional week for her coming back as one of her first tournaments. And I think every single person in the locker room is happy she's back on the courts with us now.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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