Why Ash Barty’s Wimbledon dream is worth staying up late to watch

The quiet desperation of world No.1 Ash Barty could turn out to be the greatest sport story of the year. Tune in tonight, and watch for the fist pump.

Ash Barty of Australia stretches to play a forehand in her Ladies' Singles First Round match against Carla Suarez Navarro. Picture: Getty

My daily routine is to get up before the sun. Seems a nice way to start a day. Hopefully appreciate it more after seeing it being born. The world is dark but then it’s full of colour and light and it all seems rather miraculous.

The downside is wanting to nod off at about 8.30pm. Sheepishly telling the teenage kids I’m off to bed before they look at their watches and laugh themselves silly.

Nothing deters me from an early night and the much-needed beauty sleep – doesn’t seem to help much – apart from sport of the highest quality.

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I never get past halftime of Friday Night Footy but this evening there’s something on that I’ll be staying up for. Because it’s gold.

Ash Barty is playing Russia’s world number 89 Anna Blinkova on Centre Court at Wimbledon at 10.30pm. If you love prestigious sport, it’s unmissable.

A patch as hallowed as Wembley or Shakespeare’s Globe. Barty gets this dreamy, half-grinning, sheepish, delighted and delightful look on her face every time she walks out there, modestly waving at the patrons, looking every inch a young woman who suspects it’s too good to be true.

Barty at Wimbledon has always reminded me of Alice going down the rabbit hole: “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

If you love seeing an athlete wearing their dream on their sleeve, it’s equally unmissable. This is literally her fairytale. All she has ever really wanted to do is win Wimbledon.

You have to understand that about Barty. This is it. The big one. It’s everything to her. You can see it in her face, in her walk.

If she does it on the 50th anniversary of her mate and mentor Evonne Goolagong doing it, nothing in Australian sport this year is likely to top it, including Olympic golds.

Goolagong was gold because of her lightness of being. She just played lovely tennis, and she played it awfully well.

Barty’s the same. Her game is so pure it makes a tennis lover swoon. There’s no mind games, there’s no histrionics. There’s fight, and fiercely determined scowl if she’s in strife. There’s extreme competitiveness. But she does it right.

Those quiet fist pumps are gold. There’s no over-the-top roar designed by most players to drawn attention to themselves and intimidate the opponent. There’s no grunting and squealing and groaning during points. She plays in a dignified silence. Gold.

The fist pump is the highlight, confirmation of the battle she’s in. She can walk around seemingly without a care in the world, and right when you think she’s going through the motions – fist pump.

Ash Barty subtle fist pumps and sporting behaviour has made her the ideal centre court star for Wimbledon Picture: Getty Images

Ash Barty applauds opponent Carla Suarez Navarro as she exits Wimbledon for the final time Picture: AFP

It’s almost hidden, waist or shoulder high, normally done with a quick glance at her supporter’s box, where her boyfriend, Garry Kissick, sits with her coach, Craig Tyzzer, like a scene from The Castle.

They’re a pair of knockabout Australian blokes who think the 25-year-old from Ipswich can win Wimbledon. Tell ‘em they’re not dreaming.

They’re a hardworking, humble little gang. Barty has charmed the socks off Wimbledon already. She’s never done any good there. Has usually wanted it too much.

The big one is so big I reckon she’d swap all her other titles and the world number one ranking for it. You can see it in her every movement and comment.

Before her opening round match, in the clubhouse awaiting the call to Centre Court, she was stretching and jumping around like a boxer preparing for the ring. Watch a replay.

Look at the look on her face when her feet hit the grass. Gold. Why is she worth watching? Because it means so much to her.

She’s charmed the socks off Wimbledon officials already. They haven’t seen much of her in the past. Never been past the early rounds.

But her behaviour in her opening match against cancer survivor Carla Suarez Navarro was everything Wimbledon wants its players to be. Barty didn’t blow up when she lost the second set. Nothing like it.

She stood and joined the crowd in the touching applause for Navarro after the match. She spoke beautifully and sincerely. Barty is getting the royal treatment, two Centre Court matches in a row, partly because she’s the top seed, but partly because she plays the role so magnificently. She’s gold.

Wimbledon officials factor nationalities into their schedules. They know when prime time in every country is and allot as many matches as possible to suit.

Hence there’s always at least one 11am match, London time, featuring an Australian because it’s 8pm here. Before she became world number one, Barty used to routinely have 11am matches in Paris and London.

Tonight the 8pm Australian is Marc Polmans, a big-hearted player who scraped through qualifying 11-9 in the fifth set at Roehampton. And then he won his first round at Wimbledon.

He plays 17th-seeded Chilean Cristian Garin. Nick Kyrgios is also on the schedule tonight against Italy’s world No. 77 Gianluca Mager but because his first-round marathon went into a second day, he’s in the late slot, which will be the early hours of Friday morning, because the big lug needs a rest.

Keep an eye on Australia’s Alex Bolt, playing at 1pm on Court 1. He has enough flair to give Roger Federer a shake in round three – if he gets past Britain’s capable world No. 34 Cam Norrie tonight.

Barty is wanted for Centre Court, but the schedule in the main arena doesn’t start until 1.30pm, so they’ve given her the earliest start possible.

Which is late for some of us. But if you’re in lockdown and don’t have to get to the office in the morning, check her out. If you have no interest in sport but fancy watching someone actually in the process of trying to make their lifelong dream come true, with all the resolve and tension that carries, check her out.

It’s the true story of someone who’s always dreamt the old-fashioned dream of winning Wimbledon – and she’s actually a massive chance to do it. She’s the top seed. She’s the best player left in the draw. Day by day, match by match, it may be gold.

Barty swings a racquet like she’s playing a violin. It’s beautiful tennis. She behaves in the way you’d want your own daughter to. She’s a superstar but no diva.

She’s confident but not arrogant. She’s a woman of the world but as Australian as. She’s out there on a prestigious stage showing the world how bloody wonderful a down-to-earth yet competitive athlete from these shores can be.

Watch for the fist pump. Strong and silent. Gold. It’s a long night for those of us who like an early start every day, but missing the arrival of the sun is worth burning the close-to-midnight oil for.

Gracious in defeat, if that disaster should meet her, Barty will be the first to grin and say the daily miracle will still come up in the morning.