US Open 2021: World No. 1 Ash Barty looking for a 10-year anniversary present in New York

The year Ash Barty won Wimbledon as a junior, another Aussie player beat Serena Williams to win the US Open. Ten years on and the same player is back for her 16th visit to Flushing Meadow.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Day 03. 26/07/21. Australias Ash Barty and Storm Sanders vs. China in the Womens Doubles at the Ariake Tennis Park, in Tokyo Japan. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Anniversary omens worked so well at Wimbledon for Ash Barty that she‘s happy to embrace another ahead of the US Open.
It is 10 years since Barty‘s good friend Sam Stosur wrote her name into the record books at Flushing Meadow, winning her one and only grand slam title.
While it doesn‘t carry as much meaning as her Wimbledon triumph falling on the 50th anniversary of her idol and fellow Indigenous Australian Evonne Goolagong Cawley winning her first title at the All England Club, Barty admits it adds something personal to the next two weeks.
The world No. 1, who hasn‘t been past the fourth round in New York, faces a tough first-round match-up on Tuesday against former finalist Vera Zvonareva.

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Ash Barty will be striving to match the deeds achieved by good mate Sam Stosur.

“Those (omens) that are a bit more personal to me do (have an impact),” Barty said. ”There is no doubt that the stars aligned and there was some incredible history that came with this year at Wimbledon.
“I think to have the 10-year anniversary for Sammy here is incredible, the ones that you hold a little bit closer to your heart or mean a little bit more to you are special. It doesn‘t guarantee anything but it does make those weeks and those memories created around those weeks a little bit more special.”
Stosur, who was runner-up at the 2010 French Open, produced a major surprise when she dominated Serena Williams in the 2011 US Open final winning 6-2 6-2.
It was the first time an Australian woman had won a grand slam since Goolagong Cawley in 1980.
Stosur, 37, is one of five Australian women in the main draw after Astra Sharma won a spot through qualifying.

Barty has never been past the fourth round in New York.

The Aussie faces Vera Zvonareva in the first round.

“We were hitting together in Tampa a couple of weeks ago and I said, ‘Sammy, it’s been 10 years. That’s really cool’ and she’s so pumped,” Barty said.
“Her longevity and her career is incredible. She‘s in the top 10 for most matches played on the tour and very few players are still active.
“I think only four or five are still active at the moment so it‘s pretty amazing the longevity in her career to have played so many matches.”
For those looking for another piece of symmetry around Barty‘s US quest it has been 20 years since fellow Aussie Lleyton Hewitt won his first grand slam title in New York.

Barty, 25, revealed she was leaning on her family back home to help her get through a punishing schedule which has taken her all over the world since she left Australia in March.
The 2019 French Open champion has won five tournaments this year, the latest coming last week in Cincinnati where she didn‘t drop a set for the whole tournament.
“It has been a long year. It was always going to be a challenge this year of having that adventure kind of feeling I suppose, not really knowing when we would be going home or what we were going to do,” Barty said.

Ash Barty with coach Craig Tyzzer after taking out the Wimbledon final.

“But thankfully we‘ve got the technology to still be able to connect to everyone at home. I’m able to connect to my family every single day and I’ve had a few Aussie care packages sent over, which is nice as well just to keep things normal and get some sense of home with me on the road.“ I‘ve had some vegemite sent over and some coffee beans sent from home. It’s really nice to get some letters and drawings and cards from my niece and nephew. It’s been awesome.”
With Serena Williams joining a long list of missing stars from the tournament, two-time winner Japan‘s Naomi Osaka will again be the Australian’s main danger.
Osaka, who lit the flame in the Olympic cauldron at the Tokyo Games, has struggled mentally this season and has only played two matches since Japan ahead of the US Open.
“Naomi is a pure ball-striker,” Barty said. ”When she has time to set up particularly after her first serve, she‘s one of the best first-serve, first-strike players I’ve ever come up against.
“On a hard court, there‘s not a lot of variation on the bounce. She can set up, trust the bounce, and really swing through the line. I think that’s what makes her so damaging on these courts.”

Originally published as US Open 2021: World No. 1 Ash Barty looking for a 10-year anniversary present in New York