Youngster Ash Barty into Australian Open

 

By Robert Grant, 12 Dec 2011

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 Ashleigh Barty, Australian Open, Tennis

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Queensland schoolgirl Ashleigh Barty gave herself an early Christmas present when she nailed down a berth in next month’s Australian Open.

The junior Wimbledon champion won a spot in the main draw when she defeated second seed Victorian Olivia Rogowska 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 in the wildcard play-off at Melbourne Park.

Local Marinko Matosevic won the men’s wildcard for the second straight year, beating Sydney’s James Duckworth 6-4 6-1 6-2.

At 15, Barty will be one of the youngest players ever to line up in a grand slam, but she scorched through the draw this week without losing a set.

A wildcard entry, from her opening defeat of in-form top seed Casey Dellacqua, Barty stunned her seasoned rivals and surprised herself with her flawless form.

“I was just hoping to win a set,” Barty said.

Rogowska broke away to a 3-0 lead but Barty gradually whittled it back and had the momentum heading into the tiebreaker.

Barty showed no signs of panic in the opening set and said she simply needed to work out Rogowska’s style of play.

“I haven’t played Olivia before so it’s hard to get used to her ball but she came out really well,” she said.

“I think I was just able to keep a little more solid towards the end of that first set and at the start of the second.”

The world’s No.3 ranked junior, Barty has concentrated on junior tournaments this year and as a consequence her ranking has slipped from a high of 545 in March to 681.

She is unsure of what to expect next month when the year’s first major begins.

“Honestly I really don’t know,” she said. “I’ll probably go out there and play some horrendous tennis and be nervous but I’ll go and try to have fun.

“I think I’ll probably just keep to myself in the locker room, just stay in the corner and hide from everyone.”

Barty, from Ipswich, said that even since Wimbledon her game had shown signs of improvement in every area.

“My serve’s a little bit bigger, my games a little bit bigger, I’m moving a little bit better so everything’s coming together really nicely,” she said.

Matosevic, 26 and ranked 201, admitted he would consider retiring unless he achieves his aim of a top 100 place next year.

He has had a turbulent year, changing coaches, losing in the first round at Wimbledon and then rolling his ankle in the first round of the US Open after winning a wildcard entry.

“I was hoping not to be here, I was hoping to be in the top 100,” Matosevic said.

“I’ve beaten guys in the top 100 this year and I’m definitely confident of getting a two-digit ranking going further.

“(But) If I stay healthy all year and I’m back here I’ll definitely have a re-think of my future,” he said.

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