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ROLAND GARROS

June 1, 2019

Ashleigh Barty

Paris, France

ASHLEIGH BARTY/A. Petkovic

6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How do you rate that performance?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I think it was better. It took a little while to get used to the conditions, a little bit with the light, the spin of the court. Obviously, the weather here can change how the courts played dramatically.

So I think it took some time to adjust. But once I got my feet used to the court, it was much better today.

Q. Can I get your thoughts on your next round opponent?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I came off the court and obviously saw that on the TV.

And, yeah, look, I mean, Sonya is an incredible competitor. She really is. I got a little bit of a taste of that at Fed Cup earlier this year. And she certainly respects every opponent but doesn't play their reputation. She plays them just on the other side of the net, and that's one of her best attributes. So I think it's going to be an extremely tough match come Monday.

And regardless who's on that other side of the net, as I've been saying over the past few months, it's about me trying to prepare and doing the best I can and trying to execute as best I can on the day.

Q. Have you appreciated being able to win these matches in sort of business-like manner or just being able to do what you need to do?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I think that's been very much a focus for us over the last few months. The start of this year, I felt like I've been able to close out matches well, and I've been able to continue with that this week.

And I think when I've been able to execute my game. I've been able to win some matches in business-like fashion, but they're certainly not easy matches, that's for sure. I feel like I'm playing well and being able to execute to make the score lines look a little easier than the match actually is.

Q. What about the fact that you're not playing Serena now? Is there a touch of you that's a bit upset that you don't get to exact some revenge on her from last year? What are your thoughts on that?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I think you can only play who's on the other side of the net.

There's so much talk around the draws when they come out, and so much changes every single day. So I think you have to take absolutely nothing away from Sofia. She's played an incredible match, obviously, to beat a world-class champion. And the challenge will be just as great coming from her as it would have been if it was Serena.

Q. Has your maturity improved in that regard, do you think, over the few years? I think I asked last match about navigating a Grand Slam. But if something like that happened a few years ago, do you think you would have reacted differently?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: It's hard to tell, I think, I mean, knowing myself, how much I've developed and changed over the last couple years.

But, yeah, I mean, look, I played Serena second round here last year. Handled that occasion pretty well. Wasn't able to get the win.

But I think overall, me being able to handle different occasions is getting better and better. Regardless of whether it's a Slam, a big tournament, Fed Cup, all of these different occasions I've been thrown into, I feel like we've been able to deal with it really well and, in a way, bring it back to the way I want to play and just simplify it.

Q. How hard is it not to look ahead? Everyone is talking about you now as a title contender. Do you just shut that out completely?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I think for me it's easy not to look ahead. Obviously there's talk and it's unavoidable to hear what else is happening around the draw. But for me, I can't control any of that. I can't control what other girls are doing.

I can only control, you know, how I prepare, how I play, and ultimately how we go about my next match.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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