‘She won’t win’: Coach’s startling claim after Ash Barty’s Australian Open triumph

Aussie hero Ash Barty only needs one more singles title to complete the coveted grand slam set, but her coach is less than optimistic.

World No. 1 Ash Barty has cemented her status as a modern great of tennis, winning the 2022 Australian Open without dropping a set.

After claiming her maiden grand slam singles title at Roland Garros in 2019, the Queenslander fulfilled her childhood dream of winning at Wimbledon last year before adding the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup to her trophy cabinet on Saturday evening.

Barty defeated America’s Danielle Collins on Rod Laver Arena in straight sets 6-3 7-6 to secure her maiden Australian Open title, becoming the first Aussie woman to achieve the feat in 44 years.

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The only grand slam tournament left for the Queenslander to conquer is the US Open – but her coach is less than optimistic.

Speaking to reporters after Saturday’s triumph, Craig Tyzzer was asked whether Barty could complete the coveted grand slam set at Flushing Meadows later this year.

“If they keep that ball the same, no one like Ash will win that tournament,” he said.

“The US Open really needs to change the ball for the girls. The fact they still use a different ball for guys and girls, it’s a terrible ball for someone like Ash.”

At the US Open, men play with fuzzier, extra-duty balls that many believe are slower than the regular-duty balls women use at Flushing Meadows.

“It was the only tournament last year and really for two years where she uses a gut racquet but I had to change her to a poly just to get any sort of control of the ball,” Tyzzer explained.

“It’s the only tournament that has a separate ball for the guys and girls. So if they don’t change the balls, she won’t win the US Open.”

Ash Barty and coach Craig Tyzzer. Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

However, Tyzzer still believes that Barty is a force to be reckoned with on hard courts.

“She loves grass, but Wimbledon is so different in that it’s really slow, like it’s a slow surface, it’s a different grass,” he said.

“So I think a lot of players find that quite difficult where Ash quite enjoys the really low bounce and the slowness there.

“I always thought her first (grand slam) win would be would be on a hard court. But typical for her she proved me wrong and she won on clay first and then grass and then now hard court.

“It’s amazing that she’s been able to do it. It’s pretty impressive. I think we’ve all got to sit back and just look at what she’s been able to do on different surfaces and just her ability to play the level of tennis that she does. I mean, sometimes I’m just in awe of it.”

Barty only missing one major: US Open. I just asked Craig Tyzzer, Barty's coach, about it & he said the fact the US Open has such light balls for the women's event & different balls for men & women will make it really tough. Doesn't see her winning there without a ball change pic.twitter.com/2P7SFP9BDU

— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) January 29, 2022

Barty has never progressed beyond the fourth round of the US Open, reaching the final 16 in 2018 and 2019.

Last year at Flushing Meadows, Barty was knocked out in the third round by American Shelby Rogers, who is currently ranked No. 36 globally.

The last Australian to win a US Open title was Sam Stosur, who toppled American legend Serena Williams in straight sets in 2011.