Ash Barty chases Newcombe Medal history
She has a maiden Grand Slam title and the world No. 1 ranking to her name already this season. Now Ash Barty is on cusp of winning her third straight Newcombe Medal. SEE THE NOMINATIONS.
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Ash Barty is on the cusp of more Australian tennis history with the world No. 1 nominated for her third straight Newcombe Medal.
As Barty’s tennis prowess and down-to-earth attitude inspires a new wave of Aussie tennis players, the Herald Sun can reveal the shortlist for Australia’s top tennis award.
French Open winner Barty, rising star Alex de Minaur, resurgent John Millman, Fed Cup debutante Ajla Tomljanovic and wheelchair player Dylan Alcott are all in the running.
“It’s been an incredible 12 months for me and my team and it’s an honour to be nominated for the Newcombe Medal alongside an amazing group of players,’’ Barty said.
“We’ve all had a great year and I’m really looking forward to celebrating with them.”
An “Ash effect’’ is sweeping Aussie junior tennis with increasing numbers of young girls and indigenous talent picking up racquets and clubs reporting increased female interest.
Victorian Tennis Academy managing director Tina Keown said Barty’s global feats were inspiring girl power.
“We’ve noticed our young girls are lot more aware of female professional players now – they watched the Fed Cup final on TV and have been really inspired by Ash Barty and the Aussie team,’’ she said.
Barty, who recently helped launch a campaign encouraging females to keep playing sport, would join Sam Stosur as the only aces to win the Newcombe Medal three times.
With junior participation rates up 29 per cent, Tennis Australia chief executive and Australian Open director Craig Tiley said Barty was the perfect role model.
“One of our major focuses this year has been increasing participation among girls and indigenous Australians and we are so lucky we have a role model like Ash to help us,’’ he said.
“She’s not just a great player, she’s a terrific person and I think that’s something that resonates with girls and boys, and people of all ages.’’
Barty this year won four singles titles, became the first Aussie female number one since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1976 and led Australia to its first Fed Cup final in 26 years.
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Alcott won quad wheelchair singles titles at the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and was a US Open finalist.
De Minaur rose to a career-high rank of 18 on the back of three singles crowns, fourth round at the US Open and was runner up at the Next Gen ATP Finals.
Millman – who considered quitting tennis in 2011 after being ravaged by injuries – advanced to the third round at Wimbledon and finished inside the top 50 for the second year straight.
Tomljanovic scored two top 10 wins and a career-high world ranking of 39.
The Newcombe Medal will be presented in Melbourne on December 2.
NEWCOMBE MEDAL: Finalists andr 2019 achievements
DYLAN ALCOTT (Vic)
- Winner of three grand slam quad wheelchair singles titles (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon)
- US Open finalist
- Winner of all four grand slam quad wheelchair doubles titles
- Ranked No.1 in quad wheelchair singles division
ASHLEIGH BARTY (Qld)
- Winner of four singles titles (French Open, WTA Finals, Miami, Birmingham) and one doubles title (Rome)
- Rose to world No.1 in singles, becoming the first Australian woman to achieve the feat since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in1976 and the first Australian woman to finish season as year-end No.1
- A US Open doubles finalist and finished season ranked No.19 in doubles
- Led Australia into a first Fed Cup final in 26 years, posting a 7-2 win-loss record for the season
ALEX DE MINAUR (NSW)
- Winner of three singles titles (Sydney, Atlanta, Zhuhai)
- Finalist in Basel and Next Gen ATP Finals
- Made US Open fourth round, a career-best Grand Slam result
- Scored three top-10 wins for the season and set new career-high ranking of No.18
JOHN MILLMAN (Qld)
- Made biggest ATP-level final of his career in Tokyo
- Matched career-best result at Wimbledon, advancing to the third round
- Finished inside world’s top 50 for a second consecutive season
- Helped Australia qualify for the Davis Cup finals
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC (Qld)
- Set a career-high ranking of No.39
- Scored two top-10 wins during 2019
- Made her Fed Cup debut in November’s final, scoring an impressive singles win to keep Australia in the tie
- Finalist in Hua Hin and made two WTA semi-finals