ROLAND GARROS

June 1, 2021

Ashleigh Barty

Press Conference

A. BARTY/B. Pera

6-4, 3-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. The last time you played on this court it was packed and you finished holding the trophy. There was only a hundred people I reckon at some stages. It must have been a bit different.

ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, a little bit different but the world is different, isn't it? The world we live in now is, yeah, vastly different to that of 2019 when we were here.

But certainly it was really enjoyable to be back out on Philippe Chatrier. I think with fans, even though at times it was only a sprinkling, it was still really nice to be able to share that with them and kind of enjoy that, being back out on that beautiful court.

Q. I think you had everybody quite concerned with that medical timeout. Can you just explain what the situation is and how you're feeling now and how concerned you were at that stage.

ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, it's, I mean, it's going to be a little bit tough this week. I think over the weekend we had a bit of a flare-up through my left hip, which obviously just needed a bit of help today, needed some assistance to try and release it off as best I could. But, no, I think we were able to fight through, able to give ourself a chance to play again the next round.

Today was all about going out there and giving myself a chance and letting myself play with as much freedom as possible and enjoy every minute. We were able to do that today.

Q. Just going through the match, what was the extent of the discomfort and how much did today really come down to sort of just the mental strength and experience you have had over the last couple of weeks?

ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I think every match that I play in, every different experience, whether it's I guess an opponent or a physical challenge, I feel like you learn to overcome it and you learn to accept it. That was a massive part of today was accepting the fact that, yes, I may not be absolutely 100% but I'm certainly good enough to go out there and fight and do the best I can and give myself a chance to win matches.

I'm not going to hide behind the fact I'm not quite 100% but I can guarantee that I will go out there with the right attitude every day and be really accepting of that and give it a crack no matter what. I think it's a week, it's going to be tough now without a doubt. I'm excited to be here, excited to play and have another opportunity to be playing in a Grand Slam.

Q. You said a couple times before that you might not be coming back to Australia until US Open or season is done. I want to ask you about Tyz, how is he dealing with this situation? It might be a difficult time for him as well.

ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, it's difficult for both of us. I think I have so much appreciation and gratitude towards Tyz, for him kind of doing this with me. You know, I wouldn't be half the tennis player I am without his guidance and his support, and to have his confidence and his commitment to kind of our journey has been remarkable. There is no one else I would rather do it with, and being able to go through this experience and go through this adventure with Tyz has been great.

We have tough days, like everyone does. Obviously there are different times where we're both missing home but we're able to chat to our family regularly. We have a very open line of communication.

We're certainly hanging in there at the moment. We're going well. We're all good. We're able to do what we love and compete and fight and, you know, that's why we're here. We're here to enjoy that part of tennis and really go out there and try and get the best out of each other and get the best out of the situation that we're currently in.

Certainly no complaints from our end.

Q. Have you been told you were taking no risk playing despite the injury?

ASHLEIGH BARTY: What's that? Sorry, I missed the first half of that question.

Q. Have you been told there was no risk at all to play despite this injury?

ASHLEIGH BARTY: I'm doing the best that I can. That's all I can ask for myself, and I 100% trust my team. They know my body exceptionally well, and we know how we're gonna manage through this week. We know what we're doing. We're confident in that we can get my body to a point where I'm able to compete.

I think if you've got the chance, you're in with a chance, you never know. You never know what can happen, and that's about going out there and really having the right attitude and kind of just going out there and playing as best you can on that given day.

Q. Sorry to harp on it, your No. 1 priority obviously is yourself, and by the sounds of it you seem a bit concerned, but obviously thousands of Aussie fans would be concerned with the situation. How are you treating it? When you came in to the event you looked so relaxed like nothing was bothering you physically. So when specifically did this crop up? As I was asking, what is the treatment?

ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, there's a lot of things we can do, and we've crossed every T and dotted every I. We've done imaging, we've done everything that we can to get myself to a point where I can play.

It was an acute episode, I suppose we'll call it, over the weekend. Actually, like I mean, I was feeling great. Yeah, it's just one of those things. It's not perfect timing, but, you know, there never is a perfect time.

I just have been working with my team as best that I can and trusting them. Like I said, they know my body back to front, inside and out, and I0 know I have full trust in them. We're here, we're fighting, we're in with a chance and that's all we can do.

Q. I know you're a Queenslander, but I'm sure you know Victoria has gone back into another lockdown and there's a lot of fear in that part of the world right now. A lot of people reached out to me tonight and they thoroughly enjoyed watching you play. Do you feel that level of support coming from that part of the world right now?

ASHLEIGH BARTY: Oh, without a doubt. We've seen over the last few days obviously Victoria going into lockdown. Tyz is from Victoria. My physio Mel is from Victoria. I know we're all feeling for everyone at home, we really are. We have all touched base with loved ones back home to make sure they're doing okay, first and foremost. Obviously if we can come out here and do what we love and it brings a smile to some faces in Victoria, that's incredible.

We're certainly, you know, feeling their pain right now. We hope that -- I mean, hopefully it's not too long of a lockdown and it settles down pretty quickly. Yeah, we've been in touch with everyone at home, so if we can bring a smile to a few faces in between the weekend when the footy is on, it's all good from here.

Q. It's 50 years since Evonne Goolagong Cawley won here. Could you talk about the inspiration of that milestone personally and also for other Aussie players.

ASHLEIGH BARTY: Yeah, I touched on this briefly a couple days ago. It's so hard to put into words how much of an impact Evonne has made in not only the culture of tennis in Australia but the culture and attitude and I think the way that, you know, really that people approach their tennis and enjoy their tennis. I mean, she had an incredible career. We all know that.

Her elegance and her grace on the court was next to none. It was just remarkable. I think as a person the way she's helped shape and guide a whole generation of Indigenous youth and just also like young boys and girls around Australia has been incredible.

I think when you have these anniversaries like this, you kind of reminisce a little bit and understand how much of an impact they genuinely had. Evonne for me is the perfect example of that. I don't think there's anyone more iconic or more special in tennis in Australia that's had such an impact.

For me, she's the best there is. To have that 50th anniversary is really special, and I think hopefully we can all do her proud this week, knowing that she's not here. But, yeah, one of the good ones.

Q. Just on Evonne, having known her myself for like 40 years and from the same tennis school initially, what were your first memories of meeting her? How old would you have been?

ASHLEIGH BARTY: I first met Evonne, I would have been 13 or 14 when I first met her. Yeah, a few years ago now.

I think for her to be able to share knowledge with me from such a young age was incredible. And kind of to open my eyes to understand her career better when I began to understand her as a person more, kind of made it even more special. You know, I'm forever grateful that she's opened up to me and has been so extremely generous with her time and her knowledge and her thoughts.

Her and Roger are incredible people. It always lights up my face when I get to talk about them and when I get messages from them, just knowing that they're just in my corner, which is really special to have a legend like Evonne as a tennis player, but to have her as a friend and genuinely know that she cares for me as a person is kind of all that I can really ask for and dream of.