‘She’s ready to say something big’: Barty primed to end Australian Open drought, says Laver

All-time great Rod Laver believes that victory for Ashleigh Barty at this year’s Australian Open - a drought-breaking day for the country - would drive the world No.1 “to another level”.

Back in Melbourne, after missing last year’s major due to the pandemic, Laver - twice a winner of the elusive grand slam - said while Barty had the all-round game to beat other top players, his fellow Queenslander must fight through the tough times during matches.

“It would be great for me if she won the Australian Open,” said Laver. “[But] the competition is really pretty strong out there now.

It’s been a long time since an Australian won the Australian Open, but Rod Laver thinks Ashleigh Barty could end that drought this year. Credit: AP

“She’s beaten most of these players on the circuit, but it’s just a matter of, ‘Can she play her game when the chips are down?’ When she’s playing her great tennis, she’s unbeatable.”

Laver was in Paris when Barty broke through and won Roland Garros - her first major win - in 2019.

He is confident that the 25-year-old is primed to end Australia’s 44-year drought in producing a home-grown Australian Open singles champion. Victory next week would leave Barty with trophies from three of the four majors after she won Wimbledon last year.

“She’s doing great already,” said Laver. “I think Ash has got a lot of potential, she’s showing it as this particular time.”

The last Australian to win the Melbourne major was Chris O’Neill, victor in the women’s singles in 1978. Pat Cash and Lleyton Hewitt have gone close with the latter falling to Marat Safin in 2005.

The next obstacle in Barty’s path is Amanda Anisimova, the young American who eliminated defending champion Naomi Osaka, in one of the most eye-catching results so far, with a come-from-behind third round win on Friday night.

Coincidentally, it was Anisimova who was Barty’s semi-final opponent three years ago in Paris, the second last leg of her memorable seven-match-winning performance at Roland Garros. Not long after, the world’s No.1 ranking was the Australian’s.

Laver, winner of the grand slam in 1962 and 1969, was feted at Roland Garros in 2019 as he marked the 50th anniversary of his stand-out year - all four majors won during the Open Era in tennis - to close out a decade of success.

While Sunday night’s Barty v Anisimova clash, scheduled for some time after 7pm, is not the Osaka v Barty match-up that tournament organisers and broadcasters were hoping for, the world No.60 is formidable opposition for the women’s singles favourite.

Anisimova, a former world No.21 who won the second of her career titles in Melbourne last week, has an Australian in her corner - Darren Cahill, a former coach of Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi and Simona Halep.

Cahill, who last year ended his long-term partnership with Halep amicably, has a temporary coaching arrangement in place with Anisimova.

It has already borne fruit, however, after the American won the WTA 250 Melbourne Summer Set Two event at Melbourne Park. Her beaten opponents included Daria Kasatkina and Sorana Cirstea.

“He’s been a great addition to my team the last couple of weeks,” Anisimova said of Cahill.

“He tries to help me stay calm and relaxed and just give me the confidence going into this match today, just believing in myself and knowing that I can do it.

“I think he does a great job of, you know, telling me those things.

“He’s just been great helping me. He was at my warm-up today.

“Yesterday I was kind of stressing myself out a little bit trying to play perfect. He intervenes in those moments and tells me, ‘Just relax, and play the game that I know.’”

Regardless of the result, Laver continues to be impressed by Barty’s temperament.

“It’s nice [to see] Ash playing some of the best tennis,” said the 83-year-old.

“She’s lost [some] matches [in recent times] but the nice thing is she’s the first person to shake her opponent’s hand and say, ‘Too good.’ That’s where she’s coming from. She’s still learning the game [but] she’s ready to say something big [in Melbourne] and this particular tournament might be one to bring her to another level.”

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