Wimbledon tennis champion Ash Barty inspires next generation at West Brisbane Tennis Centre

Ash Barty’s Wimbledon magic carpet ride has inspired a group of children at her junior club in Brisbane’s south west.

Ash Barty’s Wimbledon magic carpet ride has inspired a group of children at her junior club in Brisbane’s south west.

The West Brisbane Tennis Centre, Richlands, is where Barty, when knee high to a grass hopper, hit her first tennis balls in front of her junior coach Jim Joyce who is still her mentor today.

“She is inspiring,” said Maddy Joyce, 12, who used to be tossed playfully in the air by Barty when she was younger.

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“She makes us think of she can do it, we can do it too,” Maddy said. “That is her goal in life. She said to me and my friends ‘if I can do it you can do it’.”

Cole Armstrong, 14, who once earned the nickname “coal train” from Barty when she was coaching him, said she was a great role model.

Evie Joyce, 7, of Richlands, Cole Armstrong, 14, from 17 Miles Rocks, Maddy Joyce, 12, Richlands, Taine Parkinson, 13, from 17 Mile Rocks, Ash Barty's old tennis club. Picture: Steve Pohlner

“It makes us feel like we can be like her one day,” he said at the semi rural West Brisbane Tennis Centre where geese, turkeys and chickens roam free.

Taine Parkinson,13, said it was amazing a girl from the district could rise to be world No.1.

Ashleigh Barty of Australia celebrates with the Venus Rosewater Dish trophy after winning her Ladies' Singles Final match against Karolina Pliskova. Picture: Julian Finney/Getty Images

Maddy Joyce did give an insight into Barty’s championship qualities when she said while Barty was very nice “she can be harsh at times making us do the work” on court.

Jim Joyce on the exact spot where Ash Barty hit her first shot at the West Brisbane Tennis Centre.

Barty joined her sister at a Jim Joyce school holiday clinic when she was a child.

Indeed she was almost too young for Joyce to accept, but took her aside for a hit to see if you could cope with the week ahead and was surprised by her natural ability.

Taine Parkinson, Evie Joyce, Maddy Joyce and Cole Armstrong. Photo Steve Pohlner

Indeed he remembers the very spot, and the very shot she played, cannoning a ball back at him in what was the start of an unbreakable bond between player and junior coach, and now player and mentor.