Stumpy’s short shots – RICK DREWER
GIRL, oh girl – what a weekend
for Aussie women in sport.
First, Jamie Kah, South Australian-
born-and-bred jockey extraordinaire,
became the first rider
to ever achieve 100 metropolitan
winners in a Victorian racing season,
and then Ash Barty wins the
women’s singles title at Wimbledon
with a three-set victory over
Czech Karolina Pliskova.
What a joy and a beautiful thing
forever; both young women, totally
dedicated and skilled in their
respective sports and both, also,
the epitome of the true meaning of
sportsmanship and humility.
Born in Ipswich, Queensland ,in
1996, to Robert and Josie, Ashleigh
Barty is the third and youngest sibling,
having older sisters, Ali and
Sara. She started playing tennis
at four, hitting the first ball ever
thrown to her by her coach “straight
back at him”.
As a girl, Ash also played netball,
but decided to focus on tennis
because she “thought (netball) was
a girls’ game” and because her
sisters were better than her at that
sport.
Barty took to tennis as a duck
takes to water, winning the girls’
singles title at Wimbledon in 2011
– but with early success comes
pressure, perceived or otherwise,
from within and outside.
Ash has had her dark moments
– she has spoken of her depression
and even quit tennis in late 2014,
saying she felt burnt-out, unhappy
and had lost her passion for the
game. She took up cricket and became
part of the Brisbane Heat’s
first squad.
At this time, she received great
advice from her inspiration,
Evonne Goolagong Cawley, who
suggested to her “hey darl, go and
wet a line, there is far more to life
than the area bounded by the baselines
and the double lines”.
Ash returned to tennis in 2016,
moving rapidly up the rankings,
becoming the Women’s Tennis
Association (WTA) world No.1
singles player in June 2019, making
her only the second Aussie
female to do so after Evonne
Goolagong in 1976.
Barty has won 12 singles titles and
11 doubles titles on the WTA Tour,
so far, including two Grand Slams –
the French Open in 2019 and now,
the holy grail, Wimbledon.
Typical of Ash, in victory, she
spoke of “we” rather than “I” or
“me”. The “we” refers to her incredibly
close-knit family, her
all-inclusive biological and support
family. Beautiful stuff, and you
know that she means every word of
it. It really is “Team Barty”.
Barty is a multi-millionaire, but
you wouldn’t know it. She won’t
be moving far from her roots, her
home, or her friends.
Despite her Queensland origins,
she will still be taking her Sherrin
footy with her all over the world
and have a few dobs in her warmup
before her matches, no matter
where, no matter when, as she has
always done.
Or, in her rare time off, you may
catch her in the stands watching her
beloved Richmond Tigers, coldie in
hand! That’s our Aussie legend.
Have your say:
Contact Rick at
editor@bunyippress.com.au
