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NATURE VALLEY CLASSIC

June 20, 2019

Ashleigh Barty

Birmingham, England

A. BARTY/J. Brady

6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How do you feel about your level after that match?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I felt like it was a little bit better than it was yesterday. Particularly on my service games, I felt like I was able to look after them a lot better, play the first couple of points in those games well and get my nose in front.

Overall, a really clean match. You know, I'm pretty happy to come away with it with the couple of delays we did have.

Q. What threat does she pose on these sort of courts?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, obviously she's got, you know, a serve that can look after her service games very quickly. When she gets on a roll, she can win a lot of points in a row and get that first kind of serve-and-forehand combination into the rally and put those points away quickly.

She's got a good slice, as well. It was important for me to try and expose her as much as I could and bring it back to my strengths.

Q. Taking you away from tennis, have you gotten to play any golf?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, that is away from tennis (smiling). (Indiscernible) at the moment.

Q. Is there any stick-and-balls sport that you're not good at?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, I mean, I still have some shockers on the golf course, that's for sure. I need some practice to make sure I can actually hit the ball.

I don't get out as often as I would like. I haven't really played too many other sports.

Q. (Question about doubles.)
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, it was good last night. Yesterday afternoon dubs was really clean. It was nice to get out there with Jules and work on a few things I wanted to work on after my singles match.

It's a good week. We came here to Birmingham to try and do the best that we could in both singles and doubles to get as many matches as possible, and that's what we've gotten so far.

Q. (Question about doubles.)
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I will focus on my quarterfinal singles tomorrow first and foremost, and we'll see how we go from there.

Q. You've got a great range of shots in your catalog. I want to talk about your slice backhand, because that is one of your best shots, especially on the grass. It seems to have gotten you quite a few points.
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, it's a shot that I try and implement on the grass a little bit more than other surfaces just because of the reaction that you do get off of the surface.

It's a good neutralizer for me when I'm in trouble, but I also try and use it in an attacking way as much as I can, as well. A shot I learned when I was very young and certainly love to use.

Q. How important was playing doubles with Casey?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, I have said time and time again how much of a crucial part of my development that was with Cay. She taught me a lot in how to think around a doubles court, and that transferred to my singles without a doubt.

We've played some big matches in doubles, which helped me feel a lot more comfortable when I played some bigger matches in singles, as well. But, you know, to meet a person like Casey and to have that relationship off the court was probably more important than on the court.

Q. You seem to be on a great roll of results and with momentum. Speak about where you are with your confidence right now. Are you in the best form of your career so far?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I feel like I'm playing some great tennis. I think the work that we have been doing over the last, you know, 12 to 18 months in particular but over the last three years is kind of all coming together.

The stars have aligned a little bit for me, and I think when you get those opportunities you have to do your best to take them with both hands. That's what we have been able to do over the last month in particular, but, yeah, I mean, I feel like I'm comfortable in my own skin. I feel like I know exactly how I want to play in most matches, and it's just about going out there trying to execute as best I can.

Q. I'm not sure if you saw Jo Konta yesterday, her dog, Bono. Why do you think dogs in particular are so attracted to tennis players? Is there a level of psychological support there?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I think dogs bring happiness to people all over the world, not just tennis players.

Yeah, I saw Bono yesterday, gave him a quick cuddle, which was nice to see. When I see all the dogs on tour, I miss my wolf pack a lot. It's just nice, no matter how good or bad a day that you have had, you know, dogs just, all they want is your attention, and it kind of takes, you know, simplifies it a little bit and takes the focus off some things. But, yeah, I mean, that's people all around the world.

Q. Would you ever organize a dog date with Jo and Bono?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, I mean, I don't think quarantine rules will allow that, but...(smiling).

Q. There's been an Australian takeover in Birmingham at the moment. Have you had a chance to catch up with any of the players?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I haven't seen -- they're in Nottingham. It's not quite in the exact same place. I know they are playing today, and they had a few quiet days over the last few days. But I have been busy myself and they have been busy too.

Yeah, I mean, I keep in contact with a few of them, but they're doing pretty well at the moment.

Q. Obviously there is quite an intense sporting rivalry between England and Australia. Do you feed off that at all? Do some of the fans give you some comments?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: That's not really a part of tennis with the banter and whatnot. I mean, I have an Englishman in my team. He's my trainer.

So he cops a fair bit of banter between us, which is good, and he gives it back. No, I think we've got an incredible team, you know, of people from all over the world and all different places.

You know, a big part of my team, as it is, is to make sure we have fun and we have that bit of banter. I certainly do enjoy watching the cricket, and I will enjoy watching the Ashes with what the Barmy Army come up with. I think it will be pretty cool this year.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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