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ROLAND GARROS

June 6, 2019

Ashleigh Barty

Paris, France

A. BARTY/M. Keys

6-3, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you just talk us through how you felt you executed your game plan? Obviously very well. Talk us through today's match, please.
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I think that's probably close to my best match that I have played over the last month, I think, on the clay. Yeah, I mean, for all of one little blemish there trying to serve out the match in the first time.

It was a really clean match. I felt like I was in control. I got the balls I wanted, and I was able to put the balls in difficult positions for Maddie. Really, really happy with how we went about it.

Q. Very well done. I thought the best shot on the court today was your backhand slice. Were you surprised how many you got to hit? Because you dominated the point. You got the ball low. You took the power out of it. You took her out of her game, but she kept going there. Did you feel that she was going there too much or you wanted the ball there?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, I think today I actually felt like I had a better mix of slice and topspin, as probably to my other matches. My other matches I have been a little slice heavy. It was important today to try to mix that up a little bit more.

But obviously it's a shot that I love to use as much as I can to my advantage. If I put it in the right positions, I know it's tough for my opponents to go anywhere but back to that spot.

Yeah, I felt like I used it well today, but also thought I served very well today to allow myself to be in control of a lot of the points.

Q. Match point, getting there, what was the overriding emotion?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, I was pretty happy. I had three of them in a row, to be honest. Yeah, I think it was just a really clean match. I was super clear with how I wanted to play. I felt like I executed well early.

And I knew that I wasn't going to get too many chances, particularly on Maddie's serve. So being able to take both of them pretty quickly was really nice.

Yeah, as I said, I felt like I probably served the best that I have in the last month, which was able to get me in control of a lot of the points.

Q. This is your first slam semifinal. How does it feel it's happened on a surface that you're probably least familiar with, but you have always had the potential to play on but it's taken more time?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, it's incredible. I felt for myself and my team, we have approached this clay court season a little bit differently to others. Have really enjoyed it, embraced it. Have been playing some pretty good tennis.

Ultimately I feel like when I'm able to play my game style and my kind of tennis, I can match it with everyone regardless what surface it's on.

Super excited. And the fact that we're still here in the last few days is incredible.

Q. Your next opponent is Anisimova. I was wondering how much do you know about her? Two semifinalists are teenagers. How do you see this situation?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: It's amazing. It's amazing for WTA tennis. I think the way that Amanda must have played, I didn't see it today, but the way she must have played must have been incredible.

I haven't seen much of her in general. I haven't played against her. So it's a clean slate for both of us and exciting opportunity for all four of us that are in the semis. I know we are all very excited. It's just an amazing situation to be in.

Q. Have you even seen the scheduling for tomorrow yet?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yes, I have.

Q. How do you feel about the two women's semis getting moved forward onto the two lesser courts, if you like, and the men's staying in Philippe Chatrier?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, obviously we would love to play on Chatrier. For me, personally, I'm excited to be in a semifinal. It doesn't really matter which court I play on.

I'm in a semifinal. I'm going to be ready to play. Yes, of course we would have loved to play on Chatrier. It's a beautiful court. But in saying that, all four of us will be ready and prepared and go out there and enjoy it.

Q. When you took a break from the tour, what did you miss about that? And when you made the decision to come back, what part of your motivation, the belief that you could compete for Grand Slams?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, it was always the goal is to come back and try and put myself in a position where I'm playing against the world's best and competing against the world's best.

But when I had my time off, I think it was just a gradual progression of missing the competition, missing what I loved. I love this sport, and I'm very lucky to be in the position I am now. With an amazing team around me, we're enjoying it, having a lot of fun, having some amazing results.

Q. In Miami when you finished off the hard court season and get that big title and transition onto the clay, you said, Yeah, I'm going to embrace it, I just need exposure to it, it's not that I can't play on clay, but you're also just playing great this year, haven't really had a bad tournament. So how much do you chalk up the success on the clay swing? And obviously here in Paris to, I'm just playing good tennis and that's where my level is right now, and how much of it is, I have improved my clay court tennis and that's why this result has come?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: A bit of both, definitely. I think my consistency over the last 18 months has been so much better than it had previously throughout my career.

I think we have approached this clay court season to really enjoy it. I think that was first and foremost. And to know I don't have to change the way that I play too much. It's about going out there, getting exposure to it, trying to get as many matches as possible. I feel like I'm learning every single match.

Obviously I'm doing some things very well. There are still some things I'd love to do better, regardless of what surface I'm playing on.

But it's been an incredible few months to start off the year and definitely just riding that wave at the moment.

Q. How much have you seen of Amanda play, and what do you expect to be the most important deciding factor in tomorrow's semifinal?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Haven't seen much at all. To be honest, probably all of 20 minutes. I think one of her matches was on right before one of mine earlier in the week.

Yes, I think I'll sit down with my coach tonight and try and work out a game plan, try and work out ways that I can be effective against her and my tennis can be effective against her, and come out tomorrow and try and execute as best that I can.

Whatever happens, happens. It's been an incredible tournament. I'm in a position now where I really, really just get to enjoy the next few days.

Q. Are you surprised how much the draw has really opened up for you? You must feel pretty confident that you can go all the way?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I think it's opened up in a seeding regard, but, you know, I think the other three girls in the semifinals are playing incredible tennis.

Even though it's a first time for a few of us, and Jo has obviously had some exposure to semifinals before, you can't take absolutely anything away from them. They have played amazing tennis. Even though they don't have a seeding next to their name necessarily doesn't mean they're any less of a player.

I think they have played an incredible tournament obviously to be in this position, and they're enjoying it. I think, you know, it's an opportunity for all four of us to go out there and try and continue that.

I think, yeah, we certainly can't take away anything from those players.

Q. You're the top-ranked player among the semifinalists. What does it give you? Do you think it gives you an advantage?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Not necessarily, no. As I just said, all four of us have been playing great tennis. It's a new situation for me. It's a little bit of a new territory. I think, you know, not quite sure what to expect tomorrow, but I will prepare and do the best that I can to keep it normal.

Obviously it's a little bit of a different buzz and a little bit of a different electricity. But ultimately, I'll try and prepare and do everything exactly the same and try and play my best tennis.

Q. Pat Cash just said that you're probably the smartest player on tour. He said Madison was pulling her hair out today trying to figure out a way to beat you. Is that something you particularly enjoy, kind of the solving-the-puzzle type of tennis?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, definitely. I have always enjoyed that part of it. I think when I first started playing the game, Jim, my coach, taught me as many shots as possible.

I think it's probably the toughest thing for me has been making sure I make the right decisions. I feel like I'm getting better at that every single day.

Yeah, it is a puzzle out there. It's a little bit of a chess game in a way. I think the one-on-one competition I love. All I'm trying to do is everything in my power to beat the girl down at the other end of the court. That's certainly what I love about it.

Q. There is a sense of calm about you. Can you talk about that progress you have made off-court over the past year or so?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, it's been amazing. I actually said to Tyzzer a couple days ago this tournament has felt very quiet to me. It's been relaxed. And it's been quite bizarre because we are at a slam, obviously. But in my mind, it's been a very quiet tournament.

I feel like I'm playing some of the best tennis that I have. Today was certainly some of the best tennis I have played on clay in my career, and particularly over the last month.

But it's an exciting position to be in, you know, and tomorrow hopefully we can do much of the same.

Q. Have you let yourself have a gentle cast of the eye on the cricket World Cup?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I have.

Q. Your thoughts so far?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I mean, I think there has been a few spanners thrown into it. I think the Aussies are playing right now. And I checked the score right after I got off the court, and they're in a little bit of strife.

No, it's nice to have something else to watch and focus on. It's going to be an amazing couple of months of cricket for Australians in general and also for the world. I think they'll be glued to it, whether it's the cricket, the soccer World Cup for the women. Obviously for tennis, as well, it's a really busy period too.

Q. Exactly three years ago today your name appeared on the rankings outside of the 600s. Now you'll be in the top 5 after this tournament. What do you think that three-year journey says about Ash Barty?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, Tyz just showed me that tweet, I think it was. It's remarkable. Feels like just yesterday that we started, jumped on the plane to come over here to start again. So much has happened in between.

I have grown as a person and obviously as a player, as well. But I have had some heartbreaking moments. I've had some amazing moments. But all in all, I have enjoyed every single minute. I think that's been the biggest thing, that I haven't had one ounce of regret of -- you know, I felt like when I came back, it was my decision, we did it my way, and, yeah, it's paying dividends.

Q. You talked earlier about your consistency, and I think that's one of the hardest thing in this sport to do it time after time. But what do you have to do to make sure you're able to do that all the time instead of just like once every couple of tournaments?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, that's the challenge. I think it comes down to scheduling correctly, working correctly off the court, and obviously putting it into practice as often as possible.

It's tough when our season is a 10- or 11-month season, but I think there are peaks in the season that obviously you'd love to be ready for. But it's also important to be ready for every single tournament. I think that's what we have been able to do is to pick and choose our tournaments in a way to make sure that I'm prepared for every single one.

I give my best at every single one, knowing it won't always come off with the result we want, but we keep chipping away and keep working and eventually it will turn and it will come our way.

Q. You described the tournament as being quiet before, and I'm just wondering exactly what you mean by the word "quiet." Quiet in your mind, where you're staying, or do you feel the crowds are quieter? What do you mean by that?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I think mostly it's quiet in my mind. I'm not one that spends too much time on-site. Usually I come in and kind of do what I need to do and get out pretty quickly.

It's been nice to be here when I have needed to be, to play, to prepare, and have loved every single minute of that.

But also, I feel like I have done a really good job of switching off this week, in particular, and enjoying that quiet time, enjoying the other sports and interests that I have that are going on around the world at the moment to make sure it's not always just about tennis, not always about me, always keeping contact with my family and keeping that very normal.

I think, yeah, it's just been a really relaxed, quiet tournament in my mind.

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