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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 18, 2019

Ashleigh Barty

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

A. BARTY/M. Sakkari

7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What was the nature of the treatment you had? What was it for?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, I think I have just gotten to know my body well enough now to know when I need a little bit of help. It was more just for a bit of reassurance and support.

I knew it wouldn't affect me on court. It was more just a reinsurance.

Q. I think Jim was in the box. It's pretty rare for a childhood coach to get a run these days. What can you tell us about him and what he's done for you over the years?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, Jim has been a massive part of my tennis throughout my whole career. Whenever he's able to come to tournaments he comes along and he's come to Wimbledon before. But certainly the Australian Open is an easy tournament for him to get to where he can fly down and come and enjoy it, because he's been absolutely integral part of my tennis, taught me everything that I know.

Even now he can read me like a book out on the court. He can predict what's going to happen more times than not. He knows exactly what's going on.

Q. Wozniacki or Sharapova next? Want to step up your game for that?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, it's another opportunity for me to go out and test myself against the world's best. I know they play later this afternoon. I'll be home if it does happen to be raining and the cricket is not on, I will flick it over to that.

No, look, it's another opportunity. Whoever wins that match, obviously they are both quality champions. It's just an opportunity for me to go and test myself against the best.

Q. How much confidence do you take from your big wins last week in Sydney?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I think more than anything it's just the perfect preparation. There is nothing else can get you ready for matches than matches.

So it was a perfect preparation through Perth and Sydney, and now I come here feeling great. I feel like I have the matches and tennis under my belts and now it's about going out and executing on the day against my opponent.

Q. I don't want to detract from your efforts and the efforts of other Australian women but I want to ask about the Australian men's tennis and get your comments on what's happening regarding Davis Cup and the other men involved.
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, I mean, I have no knowledge of what's happening. You know, we have our Fed Cup team and my team, we focus on what we need to. I can't comment because I have no knowledge of it.

Q. Are you concerned a lot of the focus around Australian tennis this week has been on a spat between the Australian Davis Cup captain and the men rather than the women who are performing very well?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I think there are men and women performing well. I think there are a million stories going around around Grand Slam time because there are so many players, there are so many matches, there are so many amazing stories.

From my point of view, it's been a super positive week for the players involved. In particular, Kimbo, who has a third round tonight. It's the first time for her.

I mean, in my eyes we have had to focus on my tennis, focus on all the other good stories going around. I have no knowledge what's going on with the Davis Cup, so I can't comment.

Q. You spoke earlier in the year how the goal was deeper runs in Grand Slams and here going third round to fourth round. Now you're in the fourth round. How are you feeling?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I feel great. You have to keep giving yourself the opportunity to do better and better. You have to keep chipping away. It's all trusting in the process and the work that my team and myself has done in the preseason, and throughout the last 18 months, two years. We're continuing to chip away every single day and get better as a person and as a player every single day and continue to develop my game.

It's getting to the point now where I'm feeling more and more comfortable on the court and can play my brand of tennis, which when I execute I know it works against the best in the world.

Q. I was talking to somebody yesterday about the drama in Australian tennis and they corrected me and said the drama in Australian men's tennis because the women are all doing fine. Wondering what you think has made Australian women's tennis culture so successful in the time you have been in it and a relatively smooth sailing as a group and as interactions, as far as we can tell with everybody in it?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, we have an amazing group of girls. We really do. I think there are a lot of girls in the fringe from 150 to 300 in the world that haven't really dipped their toes in too many WTA events.

And we are starting to see that now in the Australian summer you obviously have more opportunities for Australian players to come out and play, but they have to make the most of it. A lot of them certainly, either through qualifying or Brisbane, Sydney, Hobart, all of these tournaments, they have kind of stepped up and played well. They have always been capable. Just needed the opportunity.

I think we have an extremely great group of girls who work hard, who do all the right things, and now the results are starting to come.

Q. There has been a division in Australian tennis, players, media, separating prospects into good ones and problematic ones. Do you sense that in general? Do you think that's fair?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, again, it's not really something that I focus on or can really concern myself with. I just put my head down and try and do what I need to do with my team.

Then obviously we look at all the positives that come out of it. But for me, yeah, it's very much -- I don't spend a lot of time with the men's side, because the tours are different. We probably only cross over and have half a dozen or dozen tournaments cross over during the year. From my team and what we are doing, we're all good.

Q. You and Jim, when you were a kid, a story about you won so many trophies in the juniors you started taking off the little steel plates and went to poorer clubs around the place and you used to give them to them for donations.
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Not poorer club, but to Jim's club, West Brisbane Tennis Centre. A lot of my trophies were recycled, yeah, for their junior fixtures and things like that. Yeah, I mean, all the ones that kind of, not didn't fit anymore, but Mom has a cabinet at home she keeps them all in, and it was kind of a bit of a tradition every year that we gave a few to Jim and Robby at West Brisbane Tennis Centre and they filtered through to the fixtures, with the young kids.

Q. How many did you have?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I have no idea.

Q. Hundreds?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: No, but I don't know. Yeah.

Q. Just back to the medical timeout, you're saying it's just repairs after a grueling sort of workload last couple of weeks and nothing to be concerned with going forward?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: No, all good, nothing to be concerned about. Just making sure I'm in the best possible shape to play and going out there and do my best.

Q. To the fourth round perhaps you play Wozniacki. If Wozniacki would be your opponent, how do you think you'll play that match?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I mean, for the moment, there's no time trying to think of what's ahead. I have to let that match play out. And obviously both Wozniacki and Sharapova are exceptional competitors and players.

I'm sure that they will have an amazing match, but for the time being, there is no point looking into the future. I have to wait and see how that result goes and I will sit down with my team and coach and work out a game plan for either player.

Q. What do you think about Wozniacki's form?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: She's what, No. 2 or 3 in the world at the moment? She's playing amazing tennis. Obviously had a bit of a -- always hard to know when you've had the preseason and time off, and she only played the one tournament.

She's playing well here this week and obviously loves the conditions here in Australia as defending champion and is on a roll here.

Q. Are you going to watch the cricket on the TV?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, TV for me.

Q. You flick between tennis and cricket or stick with the cricket?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Just stick with the cricket.

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