ITF

HER SCRIPT IS UNCONVENTIONAL BUT, FOLLOWING SEVERAL IMMACULATE SCENE CHANGES IN 2019, AUSTRALIA'S LEADING lady Ashleigh Barty is eyeing a more established encore to her critically-acclaimed season. It has been quite a campaign for Barty, who claimed her maiden Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in June before becoming only the second Australian woman to be ranked world No. 1 and first since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1976. The 23-year-old is also the first player to contest and win the maximum number of matches on the way to the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Final in the competition's current format after claiming clean sweeps during Australia's victories against USA and Belarus earlier this year. She now has the chance to make a further imprint on the sporting landscape when Australia host France at Perth's RAC Arena on 9-10 November and bid to seal their first Fed Cup title in a generation. Not since 1974 have seven-time champions Australia topped the Fed Cup podium, while 1993 was the last time they reached the final and were in touching distance of glory. Barty feels the hand of history is firmly on her nation's shoulder. "It is an amazing achievement to be involved in a Fed Cup Final, but we don't just want to make the final. For all of us to be able to say that we are Fed Cup champions would be special," Barty told ITFWorld. "One of the best things about our team now is there is so much love and compassion. The way that Mol [team captain Alicia Molik] has been able to bring us together and create this real want and desire to play for Australia has been crucial. "For all our players, staff and the Australian public in general, it's been a long time between drinks and for us to have this opportunity is incredible." It is quite a transformation for Barty and Australia. Just four years ago, the Ipswich-born right-hander, who spent time away from the game when she swapped tennis for cricket, was a member of the Brisbane Heat side which contested the 2015/16 Women's Big Bash League. Even more recently, in April 2017, Australia were one defeat away from plummeting into Asia/Oceania Group I before Barty and Daria Gavrilova dominated the singles as the visitors chalked up a 4-0 play-off victory against Serbia in Zrenjanin. In stark contrast, Australia were a fearsome proposition in the 1960s and 70s, winning seven Fed Cup titles in 10 years from 1964, and Barty believes overpowering France could prove the catalyst for another golden period. BELOW: Australia have beaten USA and Belarus on course to the final ➝ Barty was crowned Roland Garros champion in June ITFWorld // AUTUMN 2019 17

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