World number one Ash Barty has revealed what’s driving her in a quest for a home Grand Slam victory

World number one Ash Barty has revealed what’s driving her in a quest for a home Grand Slam victory.

Aussie Ash Barty started her Australian Open in style witha 6-0, 6-0 win. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

World number one Ash Barty has revealed her drive to be a “complete” player in the wake of her Australian Open first round demolition job that has set expectations soaring for a breakthrough home Grand Slam victory.

Barty destroyed world number 86 Danka Kovinic on Tuesday night in a 6-0, 6-0 thrashing that showed the Aussie’s time away from the court, having spent most of 2020 on the sidelines because of the COVID-19 pandemic, had not slowed her down.

In fact, Barty revealed she used that time away to drill down on finishing the necessary “weapons” to draw on when she might not be playing as well as she would like.

Barty, who will play fellow Aussie Daria Gavrilova in the second round, said the challenge remained to bring her “best stuff” every day in the search to be the best version of herself.

Ash Barty says she has more weapons to draw from. Picture: David Gray / AFP

“I want to challenge myself to be the complete player. I want to challenge myself to grow and develop every single day, both as a human and as a tennis player,” she said after her opening win at Melbourne Park.

“I think there is a different challenge from every player, whether it be conditions, it could be surfaces, it could be the occasion. There‘s always a little bit of almost a uniqueness, I suppose, to every single match.

“That’s what I love so much about this sport is that not every day is the same. Every single time you step on the court there is a different challenge.

“Being able to rise to that occasion time and time again is what I enjoy the most, and that’s kind of what I want to continue to try and do every single day.”

A fresh start 💜 pic.twitter.com/GXZzuUV22L

— Ash Barty (@ashbarty) February 9, 2021

Barty has returned to tennis noticeably different physically, and the 2019 French Open winner said there were more elements to her improvement that would go on show during the Australian Open.

“I know deep down my team and I have done the work. We‘ve earned the right to play at this level,” she said.

“And I think there’s always a little bit of the unknown at the start of a season, particularly after such a long break, of what that level might be, knowing there’s every chance it’s not going to be exactly where we want it straightaway.

“But that’s the challenge, is coming out here every day and trying to bring my best stuff on that given day, and I think knowing that we’ve done the work during pre-season, done the work over the years, I feel comfortable in my own skin to go out there and find a way, whether the tennis is great or it’s not, I know I’ve got other weapons that I can go to, not just hitting a tennis ball.”