Ash Barty: Former tennis World No. 1 becomes best-selling author

Ash Barty continues to serve aces in her post-tennis career, emerging as one of Australia’s most popular athletes turned author — and she has several famous names covered.

Ash Barty has left a Prime Minister and an iconic horse trainer in her wake to become a record breaking author.

Grand slam tennis champ Barty, an ambassador for this week’s Buy Australia Made campaign, has sold more than 160,000 copies in her twin forays into the book market since retiring last year and is tracking towards the 200,0000 mark.

Her autobiography, My Dream Time, is closing in on 100,000 copies and her children’s books series, Little Ash, has also topped 70,000 in official sales with further orders putting it in the 100,000 range.

Former world no. 1 Ash Barty has become a best-selling author.

Barty’s book has passed the number of sales for former Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Both are published by HarperCollins who are “thrilled’’ by the result according to the company’s Australian head of nonfiction, Helen Littleton.

Barty’s life story is easily the No 1 Australian women’s sport autobiography recorded by leading sales analysis firm Nielsen BookScan since they started logging sales in December 2002.

As well as eclipsing former Prime Minister Julia Gillard (over 68,000), Barty, according to BookScan, has also passed horse training legend Bart Cummings (over 87,000).

Barty’s autobiography is closing in on Ricky Ponting’s life story (over 97,000), while Ponting’s teammate Adam Gilchrist (over 131,000) remains ahead along with Steve Waugh’s chart-topping Out Of My Comfort Zone which sold more than 200,000 when the book market was stronger than it is today.

Ash Barty is set to release more books in the ‘Little Ash’ series.

“I was very lucky to have so much love and support for my career when I played and I and pleased they enjoyed reading about it and hope there were things in there they did not know,’’ Barty told News Corp of her autobiography.

“There were a few bits and pieces I had kept quite close and I just hope they enjoyed the story.

“My Grandma said there were so many times when I wanted to ask you questions and reading the book they were all answered for me.’’

“People who were so close to me in my journey still learnt something new.

“(Junior coach) Jim Joyce is slowly getting through it and he said he could not believe how much I remembered and how what a big impact some small conversations can have.’’

The success of The Little Ash series will prompt Barty to release four more books to make it a 10 book series.

“I was a little nervous as to how it would be received. Being a reader myself and knowing how many great kids’ books out are there I was nervous but it has been exceptional.’’

Originally published as Ash Barty: Former tennis World No. 1 becomes best-selling author