Ash Barty beats Donna Vekic at Birmingham as she declares French Open hasn’t changed her

Don’t expect Ashleigh Barty to be changing her demeanour any time soon despite her recent grand slam success, with the popular Aussie declaring: ‘Look, for me nothing changes’.

Ash Barty has maintained her Roland Garros form. Picture: Getty Images

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Ashleigh Barty is determined not to change as a person despite fame, fortune and French Open triumph.

The Queenslander insists she doesn’t “feel any different” after maiden grand slam victory at Roland Garros.

“I’m still the same Ash Barty that I was three weeks’ ago. I’m the same Ash Barty I was two years’ ago,” she said at the Nature Valley Classic in Birmingham.

“Nothing’s really changed in a sense, everything’s been the same for me. It’s just been a little bit of down time and preparation building up to here.

“We just had a couple of quiet days, played a bit of golf at The Belfry and then came here.

“It’s been an amazing fortnight, an amazing month for me with the amount of support and love that I have received from all around the globe.

“But, in a sense, it’s still been pretty normal as well.”

Bidding to become world No 1 and the first player since Serena Williams in 2015 to annexe the French-Wimbledon double, Barty made a triumphant return in Birmingham.

The world No. 2 fended off Croat Donna Vekic 6-3 6-4 in a dominant first-round showing.

Barty, 23, said the so-called “burden” of winning a major is a privilege, as she hailed Cathy Freeman as inspiration.

“That is a nice burden to chuck on me, isn’t it?” she laughed.

“Look, for me nothing changes.

“It was an incredible fortnight of tennis that we had without a doubt and some of the best memories of my career will come from those two weeks.

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Ashleigh Barty plays a forehand during her first-round match win.

“But, as I said, I’m still the same person.

I’m still the same Ash Barty and I try and prepare the same way.

“It was really nice to come out now and kind of get back into a normal routine of playing matches again and yeah, like I said, it’s pretty incredible, but nothing’s changed for me.”

The 2011 Wimbledon junior champion is among the favourites heading back to the All England Club next month.

She also has the chance to take over as world No. 1 if she either wins the title or reaches the final — and Naomi Osaka fails to reach the semis.

US Open and Australian Open champion Osaka currently leads Barty by 252 rankings points.

Barty faces American Jennifer Brady in the second round.

The Queenslander needed only 71 minutes to dispatch Vekic, last week’s Nottingham runner-up.

Making the transition from Roland Garros clay to British grass with ease, Barty took little time to find her groove.

Ash Barty has maintained her Roland Garros form. Picture: Getty Images

A lapse at 5-2 in the second set when serving for the match was virtually the only glitch after taking a week off to celebrate her maiden grand slam victory.

“It felt really good today, it was the perfect first test today and it was nice and clean,” Barty said.

“Nice to come out and dust off the game.

“It’s definitely nice to be back playing. It was nice to have two or three days off.”

Barty has the chance to take over as world No 1 if she either wins the title or reaches the final – and Osaka fails to reach the semis.

US Open and Australian Open champion Osaka currently leads Barty by 252 rankings points.

Barty faces American Jennifer Brady in the second round.