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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 15, 2019

Ashleigh Barty

Cincinnati, Ohio

A. BARTY/A. Knotaveit

4-6, 7-5, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Let's just talk a little bit about your slice backhand. It's incredible. Is this your favorite move? Or just tell me a little bit about your slice backhand.
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I think it's a shot that I learned when I was quite young, and obviously I enjoy hitting it. Today it wasn't perfect at times, but when I needed it, it kind of popped up again.

I know that I can trust it. It's one of my favorite shots to hit. I think it's a point of difference for me, that's for sure.

Q. How do you feel about your performance today?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I think it was a little bit scrappy at times today but proud of the way we were able to fight and hang in there right until the end.

I think ultimately that was the most important part about today was to try to hang in there as best that I can, fight right until the end and try and make a match of it.

Q. Is there anything in particular about Cincinnati that you like/dislike?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I have some of my best memories from playing here in Cincinnati. Obviously my first top-10 win here. It's a beautiful center court, and I think the weather reminds me a lot of home. It can be quite hot and stormy, which is Brisbane in the summer for me. I certainly have really nice memories and enjoy coming back here every year.

Q. So the weather is not a challenge or anything for you?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: It's a challenge but something that I'm used to.

Q. How would you rate how you played today just in terms of how happy you were with your performance?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I think today I certainly had some challenges. My tennis probably wasn't at its best level but proud of the way we were able to fight and hang in and kind of make a match of it at times when I probably didn't deserve to be able to stay in the match.

I think that's the best thing is to just fight and hang around as best that I could. And towards the end, I started to find a little bit more rhythm but certainly struggled early on. It was more about the fight today than the tennis.

Q. Do you find you take something special out of matches like that where maybe you aren't at 100%?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I think it's just a unique match, because sometimes you kind of look at it and you think how did I get back into that match? How did I stay alive for so long?

But some crucial moments when Anett was serving up a break in the second, and in the third I was able to play some better tennis. I think that's the best thing is when my back was against the wall, the tennis was there. It may not have been there the whole match, but we were able to find it when we needed it.

Q. Where do you feel like the gap is for you right now tennis-wise in terms of where you are and how you've been playing in terms of where you want to be?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, I don't think we are far off. I think yesterday it was certainly a better level. Today wasn't quite there, but the beauty of this sport is I have another chance tomorrow to come out and try and refine my skills and keep chipping away. It's a different match again tomorrow, different conditions, different opponent.

But, yeah, I mean, for us it's just a volume, a volume of hitting balls, getting matches, and kind of getting back into that groove.

Yeah, I think you learn a lot more and can take a lot more out of those kind of matches like today where it's a little bit scrappy, have to really fight, and it's certainly not perfect.

Q. Knowing how long the break was after Wimbledon and what the preparation was like going into Toronto and then now Cincinnati, do you think you're ahead of schedule, do you think you're on schedule, behind schedule just in terms of knowing that maybe there is going to be a bit of transition time?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, no, I think probably on par, I think. You know, the beauty of these kind of three weeks leading up to the US Open is we are after matches. We want to play matches. Doesn't matter what the level is really like. It's about trying to get used to getting match tough again, match fit again, and just getting matches on the hard court.

It's a little bit different. It's an adjustment from the last two- or three-month period we have played. Now that we've got those few matches under our belt, you know, now we can kind of relax a little bit more, go out there and try and refine a few things, but once we get to New York it's all business from there.

Q. Maria Sakkari has had really great things to say about you. You play her next. What do you think of her as an opponent, her game, and her rise?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, Maria is an incredible chick. She's really one of my better friends on tour. She's a lovely girl. I don't think you can find anyone in the locker room that has a bad word to say about her.

She's genuinely a humble, hard-working person. I think when people like that work hard, they're rewarded. This year she has been rewarded with some fantastic results. I have had some incredible matches with her in the past.

Yeah, I think these conditions suit Maria when she can use her kick serve, use her forehand when she has time. I think that's the challenge for me tomorrow, is to go out there and try and nullify that serve as best that I can and try and be on top of some points.

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