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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 20, 2020

Ashleigh Barty

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

A. BARTY/L. Tsurenko

5-6, 6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Strong in sets two and three. Any particular reason why there's a bit of the slow start the last couple of matches in the first set?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: In the one match I played here.

Look, I think I was pressing a little bit early. Made a few too many errors. Was able to tighten the screws in the second set and run away with it.

Yes, it was disappointing to not start as well as I would have liked. All in all, I think it was really nice to be able to tighten the screws, run away with it in the second and third.

Q. What makes her a tough opponent?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: She's an incredibly tough opponent. She moves very well. She's able to cover the court when she can. I know she's had a layoff recently because of injuries. I think she's still working her way back into her best tennis.

She's a great ball striker and is able to manipulate you around the court a lot. I think it was important for me to try and bring it back to my side a little bit more, play more my style of tennis. I was able to do that in the second and the third.

Q. How much relief do you feel at getting the first round out of the way? A lot of players talk about getting nervy in the first round of a slam. Is it that way for you?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: It's always a little bit different I think. Slams always feel like there's a lot of chaos going because there's so many people. It's busy with singles and doubles players, mixed players, families, coaches, everyone underneath. It's just chaos.

When you're able to separate that from when you step on the court is when you can do a little bit better, play a little bit better, feel a little bit more comfortable.

I feel like we've been able to do that better and better with each slam that I've played. It's an experience thing. You have to learn how to deal with it, but it's getting better.

Q. Were you angry? You looked frustrated towards the end of the first set. Maybe you said something to your box. Did you fire yourself up for the second two?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I was frustrated that I wasn't hitting the ball in the court when I wanted to. I think I was aiming for big targets and missing by quite a bit, which I wasn't comfortable with, I wasn't happy with.

Being able to kind of rectify that and fix that so quickly at the start of the second set was really important.

Q. You have such a great record coming from the first set down. Does that mean you don't tend to lose confidence or belief?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Of course. I think you have to fight no matter what the score is. Whether you're down in the first set or down and kind of almost out of it, I think it's important to try and fight for every single point.

Each point has the same value. I think it's just important to turn up every single point, do the best that you can. Knowing that I've come back from being a set down in many matches is good. I'd prefer not to be in that situation.

It's good knowing I have the ability to trust myself when I need to.

Q. Quick turnaround from Adelaide. You probably didn't get to practice very much on that court. Plus with the roof being closed... How different did it feel compared to your last week in terms of how the ball is reacting off the strings?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, a little bit different. There's always an adjustment from city to city. I think the weather plays a big part in that. Obviously we had a quick hit last night with the roof closed, kind of half expecting that the weather was going to come in, we may be playing with the roof closed.

Yeah, I mean, it's an adjustment. But it's an adjustment for everyone. I think it's playing a touch slower when the roof is closed than the center court in Adelaide purely because I think it was indoors, and Adelaide was still outside. The elements were coming into it, a bit of wind.

Yeah, an adjustment, but happy with the way we were able to kind of problem solve and figure out a way.

Q. You spoke about the chaos of a slam. What about the chaos of being at a home slam, being No. 1? So many questions put to you in the last few weeks of how you would handle the pressure. Everybody had their advice. Is it like you thought it would be?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I don't know. Depends on what you guys think of my answers.

I feel like I'm doing it the best way that I know how. I'm doing it with my team. We're doing it as a team. We're loving it. We're embracing it. There's no other way to approach it.

I think we're just going along for the ride, trying to play some good tennis.

Q. Saw Jim Joyce in your box tonight. What is it like having someone who has been part of your journey since four being here right now?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, it's always nice to have Jim here. I actually saw him in Brisbane, asked him if he was coming down. Didn't know if he was or not. It's always nice to have Jimbo there. I know he's always a sounding board if and when I need it.

He doesn't have a lot to say these days. He's happy to just kind of sit back and watch. Obviously he has full trust in Tyz. I have full trust in Tyz. But it's always nice knowing that when we need to work on something, he's only ever a phone call away. He can usually fix it across the phone. So he's, yeah, pretty bloody good.

Q. Tsurenko said your shots became unpredictable, unexpected.
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I was just placing the ball in the court a little bit better, keeping her off balance.

In the first set, it was a little bit too much in her patterns for my liking. I was able to kind of transition that into more of where I was controlling the court and the ball a little bit better in the second and third set.

I made a few less unforced errors, which always helps.

Q. After the first set, could you feel a nervousness in the crowd or was it more you felt they were helping you to victory?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: I don't know really know how they were feeling.

Look, I felt comfortable knowing that I just needed to change a few things, to adjust, to try and bring the match back in my favor. I think the crowd was incredible. Certainly once I got a bit of a roll on, they became more and more influential, I think. It was pretty nice to play in front of a full crowd tonight.

Q. Any chance of wandering down Punt Road to see how things are progressing down there?
ASHLEIGH BARTY: If I have a spare minute, I think I might. It would be nice to see the AFLW girls, as well. Was chatting to Katie Brennan, trying to work out a time where I would jump down and see them.

Yeah, obviously if I've got a minute, I'll be down there in a heartbeat.

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