Australian Open: Ash Barty aims to keep riding summer wave

Ash Barty hopes to ride her summer wave all the way to the second week of the Australian Open.

World No 17 Ash Barty in Melbourne yesterday. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Ash Barty hopes to ride her summer wave all the way to the second week of the Australian Open after arriving in Melbourne enjoying a career-high ranking and grand slam seeding for the first time.

Buoyed by her charge to the Sydney International final, Barty believes she can cause some serious damage after reeling off four straight wins before falling to revitalised 2016 Open champion Anqelique Kerber on Saturday night.

“It was a hell of a week, perfect preparation for next week,” Barty said. “I feel like, if I play like that, I’ll probably beat most of the people in the draw.

“I’d certainly love to play my best tennis and have my best run in a grand slam here. Fingers crossed I can band it all together and play well.”

Barty insists she’s not feeling any pressure to deliver despite carrying the hopes of success-starved fans desperate to see a first homegrown women’s Open champion since Chris O’Neill 40 years ago.

“It’s just pure excitement,” she said. “I think all the Aussies really love playing at home. There’s nothing better than walking out onto an Australian Open court with the crowd behind you.

“I think every single player wants to be out here and wants to do well in Australia.”

A third-round casualty last year, Barty is up against Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka tomorrow before a potential second-round match-up with Sydney semi-finalist Camila Giorgi.

Formidably, world No 1 Simona Halep could await in the fourth round. But Barty’s run in Sydney has filled her with confidence and lifted her to world No 17, level with top-ranked Australian man Nick Kyrgios.

Kerber was full of praise for the 21-year-old, predicting a successful year for the Queenslander who spent 2017 soaring from 271st in the rankings.

“What she did in the last year, it’s amazing,” Kerber said.

“Where she was and where she is now, it’s a huge step.

“She will have a great 2018, I’m very sure about this.”

Meanwhile, hope springs eternal for Sam Stosur, who lines up for her 16th Australian Open this week.

The 33-year-old Queenslander has heard it all about her poor ­record at her home grand slam.

In her previous 15 appearances, Stosur’s best result has been two fourth-round appearances.

She’s set herself that same goal this year — to make it through to the second week — refusing to be downbeat on tournament eve.

“My results here in Australia, they’re a challenge for me sometimes,” Stosur said. “But I feel like I’ve done what I can to put myself in a good position.

“I’ve just got to go out there and enjoy it, go for it and play the way I know I can play.

“If I can do that and I lose, so be it. I just want to take care of what I can and hopefully that means lots of wins.”

The 2011 US Open champion and crowd favourite must negotiate a tough first-round draw.

She will play Rio 2016 Olympics gold medallist Monica Puig in a battle of heavy hitters, scheduled for this afternoon on Margaret Court Arena.

“She’s a dangerous player ... a little bit up and down since (Rio) but she proved she can put it together in a big event,” Stosur said.

“She’s got a big game: lots of aggression, lots of power.

“I know I’m going to be sometimes up against it and I’m going to feel that.

“It’s going to come down to who can hit good first strike tennis, play big and take advantage of any opportunities.”

Stosur is back in grand slam action after an interrupted 2017. She returned to Australia after a fourth-round French Open loss to eventual champion Jelena Ostapenko, when she suffered a hand injury.

That allowed her the joys of a first Melbourne winter but slipped her ranking to world No 41 — outside of the Open seeds. But she won’t be using her 2017 as an excuse for another Melbourne Park let-down.

“It’s not a position I would have chosen to be in but it was a good opportunity to freshen up, take a break,” she said. “I did everything we’d set out to do in the pre-season ... everything I can and need to and should have done.

“Now it’s a matter of trying to put it all together out there.”

AAP