Ash Barty’s emotional reaction to breaking Australia’s 44-year Aus Open women’s title drought

Ash Barty has revealed how she celebrated ending Australia’s long wait for a homegrown Open champion and thanked Aussies for their fervent support of her campaign.

Australian Open champion Ash Barty has vowed to soak up the enormity of her drought breaking triumph – then chase more success.

Australia’s first home grown AO champion in 44 years on Sunday showed off her latest piece of silverware at the Carlton Gardens in the shadows of Melbourne’s iconic Royal Exhibition Buildings.

And after cementing her own status as a national icon in a stunning straight sets victory against Danielle Collins on Saturday night, the humble champion said the enormity of her achievement was still sinking in.

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“To have so many people invested in my career, I’m extremely fortunate to have that support, to have that love from so many people right around the country,’’ she said.

“I know that they just want me to do well and I always promise to do the best that I can, go about it my way and embrace it and really enjoy it.’’

Winning the Aus Open is a good a reason as any to get on the beers and champers.

Barty told the Herald Sun her celebrations post match were muted.

“It was pretty quiet actually, I was pretty wrecked,’’ she said.

“I just had a couple of beers and then I was in bed, not too bad at all.

“It was nice to be able to take a moment with all my team and extended family and have a good time.’’

She said her success at Melbourne Park felt different to the Grand Slam glory she enjoyed at the French Open in 2019 and Wimbledon last year.

The last time Australia had a women’s Australian Open winner – 1978 champion Chris O’Neil — Malcolm Fraser was Prime Minister and Alan Bond was an Australian of the year.

Her third major title took her past fellow Aussie tennis greats Lleyton Hewitt and Pat Rafter who won two each in their celebrated careers.

Australian Open champion Ash Barty the morning after her triumph.

But Barty is only 25 and more success beckons.

She is not finished yet and the appeal of a career Grand Slam including the US open is strong.

“We will reset, start again and look forward to the next chapter,’’ she said.

“Everyone is trying to win every single tournament they can and do the best that they can, week in and week out.

“Yeah, I’ve played well at the US Open before but it’s a long way off yet and we are still many months off from having to cross that off.’’

A who’s who of Aussie and international sporting heroes heaped praise on Barty for her stunning success, and the way she went about it.

A Grand Slam champion on three different surfaces, you are the complete player @AshBarty and I am so happy for you tonight. There’s nothing like winning at home, congratulations #AO2022 champion, it is wonderful to be here for this moment and to celebrate with Australia. 🚀

— Rod Laver (@rodlaver) January 29, 2022

Aussie tennis icon Rod Laver said: “There’s nothing like winning at home.’’

Former Aussie Open champion Kim Clijsters – the closest Australia could get to a homegrown champion in recent times when the crowd dubbed her “Aussie Kim”, said it was “so awesome to see a real Aussie win’’ the Open.

“Couldn’t have happened to a nicer person,’’ she said.

“Every kid and parent growing up in tennis, learn from her.’’

Eighteen time Grand Slam singles champion Chris Evert labelled her: “a very humble champion with the most electrifying game.’’

Former Test cricketer Mark Waugh mused: “has there ever been a more humble and down to earth champion than Ash Barty’’?

And Aussie basketball great Andrew Gaze declared: “it took 44 years but it was worth the wait. Amazing composure, determination and class by an Aussie legend.’’

Barty joined a rare club of champions to win a major on all three surfaces, rubbing shoulders with Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic as the only active players to do so on clay, hardcourt and grass.

But she shied away from comparisons to fellow Aussie sports legends, friends and mentors Cathy Freeman and Evonne Goolagong Cawley.

“I’m certainly not at their level,’’ she said.

“Cathy and Evonne are exceptional people, exceptional athletes and they have paved the path for so many of us.

“I’m still in the category of trying to follow in their footsteps as best that I can.’’

She said the noise of the Rod Laver Arena crowd as she stepped onto court on Saturday night was something she would never forget.

And the support of Australians willing her to victory was heartfelt.

“I’ve genuinely been so excited and so humbled by all the support and love that I get here in Australia,’’ she said.

“I’m a very lucky girl and I certainly don’t take it for granted.’’

Ash Barty enjoys her success on Sunday morning.

SHEER EMOTION ERUPTS IN BARTY’S MOMENT OF TRIUMPH

Will Swanton

Wizardry. Sleight-of hand. Too many tricks up her sleeve. Too much of a magician. Ash Barty won the Australian Open? She’s too bloody good for the lot of ‘em.

What about the emotion? That was an eruption like we’ve never seen from Barty. There were a couple of heart palpitations but Barty claimed her third major title while barely raising a sweat. She won 14 straight sets on Rod Laver Arena. The accumulated scoreline from her two-week joy ride read 6-0, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2, 6-0, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6.

Thanks for coming. Pressure? Stuff that. Pressure kicks in when you doubt yourself. She had this one covered.

Too mature. Too composed in a rousing 6-3, 7-6 triumph over Danielle Collins that prompted more than mere applause from the stands. The response was one of endearment.

We've never seen emotion like this from Ash Barty.

If the MCG had a tennis court, you could have played it there and filled the joint. Getting Chris O’Neil to walk the trophy on to RLA might have applied the mock but Barty shrugged that off, too, recovering from 1-5 in the second set to launch a stirring streak that brought the house down.

Indigenous-themed T-shirts were in a 13,000-strong crowd that was big and buzzing as early as 4pm. Australian flags were everywhere. Musicians on Grand Slam Oval blew their trumpets, tooted their horns. Plucked guitar strings with smiles on their dials. People sang. People danced. The so-called Happy Slam began as anything but. A lot of positive vibes were deported. Barty ended up making the nickname appropriate enough when she got up with a thumbs up.

The Barty Party was in full voice on Rod Laver Arena. Picture: Getty Images

Collins was peeved by the crowd for applauding her errors. She had nothing to complain about. It was a one-sided crowd, but fair. Collins was further proof that game plans to combat Barty are useless when you cannot actually play the style required. Collins needed to get to the net to beat Barty – but she’s a poor volleyer. She needed to slice and dice back to Barty – but she cannot hit that shot. She was like an offspinner knowing she could dismiss a batsman with a wrong ‘un. Problem being, she didn’t know how to bowl a wrong ‘un. She could only do what she normally does, knowing it probably wouldn’t work.

Danielle Collins wasn’t happy with the crowd. Picture: Getty Images

One of the funniest sights you’ll see at a tournament is Barty’s next opponent practising against someone with a slice backhand on the morning of a match. They’ve found someone who can hit the shot and they’re hurriedly trying to get used to it – in an hour. Finding a hitting partner who plays like Barty is problematic, for starters. If Ken Rosewall wanted to, he could come back and make a fortune as a hitting partner for whoever’s playing Barty next.

Barty held her nerve in a tense second set. Too meticulous. Too precise. Too classy. She stood on RLA and roared and clenched her fists. The most passionate reaction she’s ever given. Her serving was supreme once more. Too much accuracy. Too much spin. Too much swing. Too much power when needed. All in all, just too bloody good.

The spoils of being too bloody good. Picture: Getty Images