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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 8, 2019

Ashleigh Barty

Wimbledon, London, England

A. RISKE/A. Barty

3-6, 2-6, 3-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How do you sum that one up?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Tough one. I think I started well. I was sticking to how I wanted to play. Then in the second set, I think my serve let me down. I let Alison get back into the match too many times, having looks at second serves.

Overall I didn't play a poor match. When I needed to, when the big moments were there, Alison played better today. Tough one to swallow but I lost to a better player.

Q. Not looking too far ahead, sorry you lost today, but you could potentially lose your No. 1 ranking if Pliskova gets to the semifinals. You fought to get there. How will you fight to get back?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: It's out of my control. We've done absolutely everything. I'm so proud of myself and my team over the last six to eight weeks. We've had an incredible trip, incredible couple of months.

Yeah, I mean, that's out of my control now. If Karolina plays some good tennis, gets to that, then she'll deserve it. No fighting that.

If that's the case, it won't really change what we do. We'll go home, rest a little bit, then head down again, work hard, and head over to the States.

Q. Alison is in new territory. How would you describe her overall game and the way she's playing now?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: You just have to look at her stats on a grass court to show just how dangerous she is. She's very comfortable on the grass court. It complements her game well. I think today in the crunch moments, she came up with her best tennis. When her back is against the wall, she plays really well typically. She did that today. All credit to her.

She deserves to be in the quarterfinals. She played a great match today.

Q. She may be playing Serena Williams next. What sort of shot do you give her in that match?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I think regardless of who she plays next, whether it's Serena or Carla, she's got a great chance.

Q. Were you surprised or maybe even frustrated that the things you do so well in your game plan, she seemed to handle the slice, your heavy forehand, have an answer for everything, didn't seem to be many holes you could poke in her game, is that how it felt for you?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, there aren't many holes in her game, full stop. Today at times when I really needed to back myself, the execution wasn't quite there.

Overall it's been a hell of a trip. Disappointed right now. Obviously it's a tough pill to swallow. In the same breath, it's been an incredible few months. New ground for me here at Wimbledon. This is the best we've done.

Yeah, very proud of what we've been able to achieve.

Q. Busy day today. Were you surprised to be on Court 2 again as the world No. 1?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Scheduling is out of my control. I'll play on any court I'm scheduled on.

Q. A lot of the women behind the game, Azarenka has said scheduling as a whole at Grand Slams, they think women don't get the same opportunity. Stat on Manic Monday, it's never been the case of more women's matches on Centre than men's. Do you think the women are given the same platform? Has nothing to do with your result, per se.
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I think obviously scheduling is very difficult. There are so many incredible matches all the fans and all the people want to watch, and players want to be a part of.

For us, the tennis court is the same size. The surroundings change, yes. They're a little bit different. No matter what court you're scheduled on, it shouldn't matter how you approach the match or play. It certainly doesn't for me.

Court 2 is a beautiful court here. We played on that court earlier in the rounds and for a doubles match, as well. It's a beautiful court. I enjoyed my time out there.

Q. How were you mentally today? Did you still feel focused? The same kind of game for you inside your head as always or did you feel you were drifting?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I think every single tennis match is different. Every day you wake up feeling different. For me, I knew what areas I needed to try and focus on. The execution wasn't quite there today.

Obviously disappointed at times when I let the match slip a little bit. Also proud of the fact what we've been able to do over the last eight weeks, the consistency we've brought day in and day out, has been next to none. I think that's one of the best things about this trip.

Q. Would you have done anything different, a lot going on, you got to the second week, if you had to say one thing you would have done different?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Nothing. Absolutely no regrets. We've planned our days and prepared as best that we can. Today wasn't my day. I didn't win a tennis match. It's not the end of the world. It's a game. I love playing the game. I do everything in my power to try and win every single tennis match. But that's not the case.

Today, it's disappointing right now. Give me an hour or so, we'll be all good. The sun's still going to come up tomorrow (smiling).

Q. The circuit is tough, fabulous players. You've had this wonderful year. We know you work really hard, have a great team. Could you tell us what were the key factors that have enabled you to break out this year?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Doing all the simple things well. It really is that for me. I know when I practice well, when I prepare well, when I train well, that's where all of my confidence comes from. When I know I've done everything that I possibly can off the court and prior to the matches, then I can go out there when I play, enjoy it, compete, and just really, really have fun out on the court.

Some days it will be unbelievable tennis, some days it's not going to be so good. I think it's finding the enjoyment in both and really trying to find a way to figure your way through a match. Today it wasn't meant to be. It's been a hell of a trip.

Q. Has there been anything different about having the 'No. 1' next to your name? Has it felt any different?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I think for me personally, no, I haven't lived my life any differently. There's a little bit more attention, a few more of you guys here in the press rooms (smiling).

Look, I mean, for me, nothing has really changed. I try to go about it the same way, the right way, the way that I believe works for me and my team. I think it's been a really, really positive couple of months for us.

Yeah, I mean, if we can hold on to the No. 1 ranking, it would be great. But if we don't, it's not going to really change anything we do between now and our next event.

Q. Playing singles and doubles at this tournament, does that affect your energy levels and performance? Do you think you'll continuing playing both?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I think it's finding the balance. A lot of the time, not just in Grand Slams, but on weeks during the tour as well, it's all about making sure my body is healthy, my body is right. I think when my body is healthy, when I'm feeling good, I would love to play doubles and I'd love to continue to play as much doubles as I can.

Sometimes you really have to listen to your body and peg it back a little bit to try to give yourself the best chance in singles.

For me, I love to try to integrate them both. I learn a lot from doubles and I learn a lot from singles as well. They go hand-in-hand. They help each other out. I certainly loved playing with Vika this year.

Q. Craig Tiley said since your success in recent weeks, they've had an increase in numbers of boys and girls wanting to be tennis players, ticket sales for the Fed Cup in Perth are amazing. How does that make you feel?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, it brings a smile to my face, it really does. But it's not just me. I think there are a lot of other girls and guys on the tour that are bringing in interest back into our sport. I think it's been a privilege for me to be able to try and lead from the front.

In a sense, I'm just trying to go out there and go about the business my way, work with my team, enjoy every minute.

Q. Last time you played her, you also lost, but it was a completely different situation. Thoughts on that?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Let's hope it's not three times in a row (smiling). You don't like that one.

Q. Tell me about the Disney movies.
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Well, it's brought a bit of interest, hasn't it?

Look, it was a way for us to enjoy it and try to bring a little bit more energy, I suppose, in the press. I love Disney. I watch it all the time. Yeah, look, it's been a bit of fun for all of us. You guys caught on I think the third time around. It's been a bit of fun.

Q. You mentioned about your mindset and your recovery after a loss. We've had a number of players come in over the last week that have been pretty disturbed by their losses. How do you keep positive after a situation like this? Who are the people you have behind you to help you do that?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: It's incredibly tough right now. But in saying that, it's also only a tennis match. I try to do everything I can to win the tennis match. If I don't, the sun is still going to come up tomorrow.

I have an incredible team of people around me who love me and support me and are with me through this journey. It's easy to go back now and chat to them about it. There are so many things we wish we had done. The what ifs. That's not what we try to focus on that. We focus on the positives. The positives of what have been over the last two months, last six months, and for this year, it's been incredible.

Today wasn't my day, but that's not going to define us as a team, it's not going to define me as a person. I think that's the most important thing.

Q. Your serve from the first set to the second set, it seemed to have slowed up. Also you struggled to get your first serves in. Was there something that happened? Was your arm sore?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I just missed a few (smiling).

I think, yeah, obviously I started really well, was able to hit my spots. In the second set, I gave Alison too many looks at second serves. I know that my percentage was down. I wasn't missing serves by too much. They were small margins. A miss is still a miss, and gives her an opportunity to have a look at a second serve.

Yeah, disappointing. That's probably one of the parts of my game today I'm disappointed with the most. But in saying that, it was just a bad serving day at times. Not always. There were times where it was still there, as well. But not to be.

Q. Last year during the US Open Series, you had a pretty solid set of tournaments there. As you go home and rest, I'm sure that's the main priority, what do you think you need to do over the next few weeks to get yourself ready for another strong U.S. run?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Rest and recover. I think it's also important to really celebrate what we've been able to achieve over the last eight weeks. It's been an extremely positive time for me and my team. Go and rest and recover with the family back home, then switch focus back to the hard courts.

In the U.S., which I love that time of year, I love getting back over to the summertime there. I have some really good memories from last year. We go back, we knuckle down, train again, then we go again.

Q. You've said in the past you celebrate with a couple of beers. Do you commiserate in a similar sort of way?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: There might be a beer or two. We'll have to wait and see (laughter).

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