Tennis: Ash Barty will donate her winnings to bushfire charities

Ash Barty will donate every dollar she earns at the Brisbane International to fundraising efforts for the bushfire crisis.

Ash Barty could earn up to $382,000 for bushfire charities at the Brisbane International. Picture: AP

Ash Barty will donate every dollar she earns at the Brisbane International over the next week to fundraising efforts for the bushfire crisis that has devastated parts of Australia.

The Queenslander, who is seeking a maiden title in Australia this summer, could earn up to $382,000 if she is successful in winning her hometown tournament, which begins on Monday.

The world No 1 also said she would have no issues if the smoke haze that has engulfed cities this summer led to delays at the Australian Open, stating that tennis was “only a game” and so trivial compared to the tragedy that has unfolded.

The reigning French Open champion has already contributed to bushfire charities, having ­donated $30,000 of funding and equipment to a local RSPCA shelter to help with wildlife rescues in mid-November.

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Barty was flying from Perth to the eastern seaboard shortly after Australia was beaten by France in the Fed Cup final when she ­received a reality check.

The defeat devastated the WTA Tour Finals champion and her teammates but the Australian said on Sunday that a glimpse of the smoke billowing from a fire put the loss in perspective.

“It’s been really terrible, it really has. I think, for me, this started two or three months ago,” she said.

“We have to remember, this has been going on for a long time across our whole country and the first I saw of it was actually flying home from the Fed Cup final from Perth back to the east coast of Australia and we could see some of the smoke and some of the fires from the plane, so that really hit home with me.

“Obviously the worst of it is still out there at the moment. But to be able to do that and just donate that little bit and just kind of do our part to help has been incredible … and obviously now that it’s not just moved from the wildlife, obviously wildlife have lost lives and lost homes, but it’s also affected Australians with their lives and their homes.”

Seven-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic is concerned about the prospect of the air quality in Melbourne deteriorating ahead of the grand slam.

The ATP Tour and Tennis Australia has already decided to relocate a $180,000 Challenger-level tournament due to begin in Canberra on Monday to Bendigo.

Djokovic, who is the president of the ATP Players Council, said the matter would be on the agenda at a meeting in Melbourne before the Australian Open.

Barty said she would not be concerned if play was delayed or postponed in Melbourne, stating it was a trivial inconvenience compared to the broader problem.

“If it meant that we were delayed by a day or two, at the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter,” she said. “What matters is that Australians stay safe and we kind of sort out the bigger issues ­because it’s a game that we play, it’s a game that we love, yes, and we try and be the ultimate professionals and do everything that we can, but it is a game.

“So … you need to put things into perspective and worry about the bigger things in life first.”

In order to pocket the maximum purse to donate to the fundraising cause, Barty may well need to beat a fellow major champion in every match. The Australian has an opening round bye in Brisbane and will not play until Thursday, but could face Maria Sharapova in the second round. Dual-Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova is a possible quarter-final rival, while Sam Stosur and Angelique Kerber are also in her half of the draw.

Reigning Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka is the only major winner on the bottom half of the draw.

“I know that I’ve done all of my work and all of my training well. I’ve done it to the best of my ability, and now it’s about coming out there and competing,” Barty said.

“It’s obviously an amazing time of year for us and I mean it doesn’t really matter what the result is, it’s more about me just going out there and giving it a crack and being the best that I can be.”