Ash Barty slept soundly on eve of Australian Open, but not the man who is organising the tournament

Ash Barty slept soundly on the eve of the Australian Open, but no so Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley.

Ash Barty with the wombat trophy she received for winning the Yarra Valley Classic. Picture: Michael Klein

Ash Barty slept soundly after enjoying the perfect Australian Open preparation leading into her bid to end a local drought dating back to Chris O’Neil’s success in 1978.

Fresh from a year away, the Australian champion returned to the tour with splendour this week and pocketed a wombat for a win over Spanish star Garbine Muguruza on Sunday.

That’s right. A wombat. After her 7-6 (3) 6-4 win over the dual-major champion, Barty was presented with a carved wood wombat to celebrate her triumph in the Yarra Valley Classic.

Given the world No 1’s Indigenous heritage, it might become her most treasured keepsake, even though she does possess a Roland Garros trophy.

“Obviously when you talk about how the trophy is made, (it is) a very touching tribute to my heritage, and (it is) very cool to have some indigenous art, pure art, as a trophy,” she said.

That may change if Barty can sustain her streak for another seven singles matches to claim the Daphne Ackhurst Memorial Cup awarded to the Australian Open champion.

“I’ve eaten my brussels sprouts (and) done everything to put myself in a position that I can go out there and perform at the best level I can,” she said.

If the most important woman in Australian tennis is sleeping well, her male counterpart Craig Tiley is not.

The Australian Open tournament director has spent months collaborating with governments, tennis tours and the world’s highest-profile players to ensure the event proceeds in 2021.

The criticism from some quarters has been immense and scares including the positive test last week by a worker at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, which had been a quarantine hotel for players, alarming. Revelations on Sunday night that another Melbourne hotel quarantine worker had tested positive didn’t help.

But when Naomi Osaka, the highest-earning female athlete in history, steps on to Rod Laver Arena on Monday at 11am, it will be a significant moment for world sport, not just Australian tennis.

Not that Tiley is overconfident. Far from it. The pandemic has taught him that to be certain of anything is the first step towards a potential disaster.

“I still am watching with a deal of anxiety because you just don’t know in the pandemic what the surprise is going to be each day. Just as long as we stay safe,” he told The Australian on Sunday.

“But the players are very excited that we start tomorrow. (Their) nerves are rising significantly. It is nice to have those feelings back after a year of so much uncertainty.”

Capacity is tipped to be between 25 to 50 per cent of the usual 800,000 fans who attend each Australian Open, though for spectators it will feel less like the “happy slam”.

Melbourne Park has been split into three sections and fans are only allowed entry into one.

The other big difference will be masks. Everyone must have one.

If the weather is unfavourable, fans seated inside the three roofed arenas will be forced to wear them and the weather has been ordinary so far.

Patrick Mouratoglou, the French coach of Serena Williams, complained: “When is the summer starting in Melbourne this year?”

But even in the pandemic there is a sense of the familiar. Novak Djokovic is irritated with Nick Kyrgios, again, after the Canberran called him “a tool”.

“Off the court, I don’t have much respect for him, to be honest. That’s where I’ll close it,” he said.

Djokovic’s great rival Rafael Nadal was not seen on court last week. He has a bad back. And it is bothering him on serve.

Whether the Spaniard, who would move past Roger Federer if able to claim a 21st major title in Melbourne, is able to produce his best is a waiting game.

“I’m doing everything possible to be ready for it. That’s the only thing that I can say,” he said. “Today I am still hoping to keep improving and hope to be ready for it. I don’t know the percentage.”

In a normal year, that would be a cause for crisis for Tiley. But in 2021, uncertainty is part of the game.