Page 20 - ARUBA TODAY

A20 SPORTS
Tuesday 25 June 2019

New No. 1 person,” Barty said, “and
with that, I’ve become
Continued from Page 17 Barty began 2019 at No. 15 a better tennis player, as
and with one fourth-round well.”
She will head to the All Eng- showing in her 17 appear- On the court, Tyzzer helps
land Club — where she ances in singles at major Barty in a constant search
exited in the third round a tournaments. Look at what for improvement and vari-
year ago — on a 12-match she’s done so far this sea- ety.
winning streak, after follow- son: tour-high 36 wins (in 41 Her slice backhand, big
ing up her breakthrough matches), tour-high three serve and forehand and
championship at Roland titles (each on a differ- strong net game are all
Garros on June 8 with a title ent surface), debut Grand part of a formula that give
Sunday at the grass-court Slam quarterfinal at the her a chance to win, no
tuneup tournament in Bir- Australian Open, then the matter the surface or the
mingham, England, where trophy in Paris. opponent.
she didn’t drop a set. It was almost exactly three The confidence with which
That assured Barty of over- years ago that Barty re- Barty is playing now is a
taking Naomi Osaka, the turned to tennis, without a big factor in her current
reigning champion at the ranking at all, after a 1½- Australia’s Ashley Barty poses with the trophy after beating form, too. One that there
U.S. Open and Australian year absence because she Germany’s Julia Goerges during the final match of the Nature shouldn’t be any reason to
Open, atop the WTA rank- needed time away from Valley Classic at Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham, England, doubt will continue.
ings. the grind of the tour. She Sunday June 23, 2019. “This game doesn’t get any
“You always dream of it as stepped away at age 18, Associated Press easier. The fact that you
a little kid, but for it to be- briefly switching sports to high on her back then. And nis at the level she’s been won a Grand Slam doesn’t
come a reality is incred- join a cricket team in Aus- she wasn’t handling that able to do in three years is mean you go out and win
ible,” Barty said about get- tralia. stuff very well. So it was the pretty amazing. And she’s every match from now
ting to No. 1, something Her ability to play tennis was best thing she ever did, was grown in that time, as well. on,” Tyzzer said. “And she’ll
only 26 other women have never an issue; she was, af- step away from the sport The growth is continuing. know that.”
done since computer rank- ter all, a junior champion and just reassess her life It’ll still be ongoing.” At the moment, Barty
ings were introduced in at Wimbledon in 2011, and and see what she wanted Away from the court, that does go out and win every
1973. “This year, we were reached three Grand Slam to do,” her coach, Craig includes Barty’s work with match. That won’t go on
aiming for top 10, and now doubles finals. Tyzzer, said the day Barty Ben Crowe, a performance forever, of course, but she
to be where we are is a tes- “She was just overwhelmed won the French Open. “For coach who helps her with does seem well-situated to
tament to all of the people with everything. She was so someone to be able to the mental side of things. keep adding to her list of
around me.” young. Expectations were walk back in and play ten- “I have become a better milestones.q