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Barty staying cool ahead of Wimbledon tilt

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30th June, 2019
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Ashleigh Barty is keeping it simple ahead of her bid to add the Wimbledon crown to her French Open trophy.

Being plunged into the pressure cooker as Wimbledon’s top seed won’t stop Ashleigh Barty from playing the same way that propelled her to world No.1 – on instinct.

Largely shunning the video analysis and endless data available on opponents that most players obsess over, Barty plans on keeping it simple when she opens her quest for a rare French Open-Wimbledon title double on Tuesday.

Barty is revered for her classic, old-school style and will rely on such court craft and tennis smarts to break down world No.43 Saisai Zheng.

“There are certainly some analytics that we look to try and pick some areas that we want to target, whether it’s where I want to hit the ball or how I want to position myself on the court,” Barty said.

“But, overall, there are only probably one or two key things that we think about each match and then the rest is going out there and playing.

“I play my best tennis when I’m playing with a little bit of feel and trying to adapt as much as I can.”

As much as the cool Aussie is trying to go about her business as usual, Barty accepts the enormity of the coming fortnight.

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No Australian has won the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1971.

Serena Williams is the only player since the turn of the century to complete the clay-to-grass grand slam double.

Then there’s the aura of the All England Club itself and trying to deliver on the most hallowed courts in the world, let alone coping with the heat of being tournament favourite.

“It’s impossible to play it as a normal event because Wimbledon isn’t a normal event,” Barty said.

“It’s one of the most incredible weeks on the calendar. I try and come out here and enjoy it.

“The only pressure is that that I put on myself to make sure that I do everything correctly and prepare as best that I can to try and play a good tennis match, try and play well, to enjoy myself.

“Regardless of whether I win or lose the match, I can walk off with a smile, know I’ve done everything possible to try to do my best.”

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A fourth win from as many meetings with Zheng would move Barty into a second-round battle on Thursday with either Svetlana Kuznetsova or Alison Van Uytvanck.

© AAP

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