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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 26, 2020

Ashleigh Barty

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

A. BARTY/A. Riske

6-3, 1-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Alison Riske, what makes her a tough opponent for you?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I think Alison is not just a tough opponent for me, she's a tough opponent for every single girl on the tour. She has the ability to adapt her game, to make the opponent uncomfortable. I think she's got a great tennis brain of problem solving, as well.

Q. Were they the most difficult conditions you played on Rod Laver? What did you do to moderate your game?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, tricky conditions. I think end to end was very different. The breeze is always a little bit different at court level than it is kind of up in the stands. Yeah, tonight was stronger than the other days.

Yeah, it was just about adapting and trying to work through it as best as you can. It was important to try and hold and stay and fight for every point from the end where you were against the wind, and make the most of it when you were with the wind.

Q. How present was the Wimbledon experience against Alison going into tonight and getting out of it?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Both times I've played Alison have been tough matches. I've been in the position where I put myself in the right position, was in the winning position, wasn't able to go on with it.

Tonight it was important to get off to a good start. I was a little bit loose, pressed too much. Very proud of the way we were able to bring it back in the third, go back to the patterns I wanted to play.

Q. What makes you better equipped now to play Petra as opposed to this time last year if that is the case?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: More experience. I've played Petra a few more times. Yeah, tactically the last few times we've played Petra, we've had a small, small adjustment, small change. It's never an easy match. I think maybe all but one have gone to three sets.

I think I'm looking forward to another battle against a quality opponent.

Q. I spoke to Justine Henin the other day. She said to me that you were her favorite player to watch because of the game, your approach of the tennis. When you were younger, coming up, was she also a role model for you or more Kim Clijsters because it was Aussie Kim?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, no one ever disliked watching Justine. Her game was incredible. She's an incredible athlete, obviously. The one-handed backhand at the time was that point of difference. Her slice was incredible as well. Someone I enjoyed watching growing up.

But yeah, I mean, I tried to create my own style of tennis, my own style for me to try and play and develop and grow into.

Q. Since the tournament moved here in '88, you've become the first Australian player to ever make two quarterfinals here in singles, which is cool.
ASHLEIGH BARTY: It is (smiling).

Q. That probably indicates there's some unique pressures or challenges for local players. Could you talk about some of the pressures going through this right now when you are a local player playing in singles, a top player? What are some things that are unique to playing here that you don't have at other slams?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: It's a little bit different. I think every year conditions can change dramatically. It can be really warm, and that changes the court, changes the balls, changes the way that the matches are played. It could be cold, raining, roofs closed. All these variables that come into it.

Year in, year out, it's about trying to be consistent every single match, trying to be present every single match, not thinking about what's happened before, not thinking about what's to come. It's just about trying to do the best you can on that given day.

Look, we're all human. We're not going to be 100% every single day. We're not going to win every single time. All you can try and do is put your best foot forward, regardless of you're playing in Australia or all around the world.

Q. What does it mean to be Young Australian of the Year?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: It's very humbling. Very much a surprise. Look, I'm just trying to be the best that I can be. I'm just trying to be true to myself and stick to the values that my mum and dad taught me, that my family have kind of instilled in me growing up.

It's just amazing. It's a privilege, it's an honor, and extremely humbling.

Q. What are those values to you? And there was a protest of Australia Day today downtown with 50,000 people. How aware are you of that and what you think of it? People were calling for the end of Australia Day.
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I mean, I wasn't aware of the protest. I wasn't keeping an eye on it.

I'm a proud, indigenous woman. I'm a proud Australian. For me, it doesn't matter what day of the year it is. I'm going to stay true to my values all throughout the year, all throughout my life. Every singe day I want to be kind, I want to be honest, I want to be humble, I want to give the best that I can. That's all that matters for me.

Q. Have you ever met Justine or Kim? Are you aware that Kim is going to come back in a month?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I saw Justine actually in Perth, in the Fed Cup final. It was nice to have a very brief chat to her. Obviously she had just flown in, was very jetlagged. I was just going out to practice. It was a very brief discussion. She's an incredible person.

As for Kim, I hope that her body stays healthy, I think first and foremost, that's the challenge, and she can get back to a position where she can play her best tennis. It's exciting she made the decision to come back.

Yeah, I think for all of us, but for her sake, I mean, touch wood, hopefully she stays healthy.

Q. When Jim asked you out on court about Australia Day, it wasn't awkward for you at all, celebrating?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Why should it be awkward?

Q. You have spoken countless times about how proud you are with your indigenous background.
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I'm an extremely proud indigenous woman. It's not for me to decide what day Australia Day is on. Like I said, I'm staying true to my values. I am extremely proud of my heritage. That's going to remain the same every single day of every single year for the rest of my life. It doesn't really matter what day it is.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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