“Not Super Common in Australia”: Ashleigh Barty Clarifies Her Excitement for the Clay-Court Swing at Volvo Car Open 2021

Australian World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty has been up to the mark since the start of 2021. So far, she has already won a WTA 500 in Melbourne and a Masters 1000 title in Miami. Now, she has even cleared the air on the rumors about her not liking the upcoming clay-court swing and has assured fans of her excitement.

In the pre-tournament press conference at the Charleston Open 2021, Barty revealed the reasons that might have instigated the rumors. However, she remained firm on playing positively on the red dirt ahead.

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Ashleigh Barty states fewer clay courts in Australia as the reason for her unfamiliarity

Ashleigh Barty was born in Queensland, Australia, where clay courts are scarce. This is also one of the reasons she is unfamiliar with clay courts.

Barty answered, “It’s not like that I don’t like clay, it’s I think, for a lot of my career, I was just unfamiliar with it. It’s not super common in Australia to play on clay, and particularly, you’re applying European clay, (which) is very different from anything that we get in Australia.”

In comparison, the Miami Open champion stated that Australia has tried and tested French and Italian clay, and she said that those surfaces play differently.

Barty accepted that she preferred the grass season over the clay season, but she is excited for the clay season all the same. What is noteworthy is that she even scored the biggest clay title in tennis, the French Open, in 2019.

“My whole career, I’ve been excited about the prospect of playing on grass and that month of playing on grass, but I’m still excited. I can assure you, I’m excited for the clay season,” the Australian told EssentiallySports.

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Which tournament will Barty play after the Miami Open?

The Charleston Open 2021 is a clay (green) tournament where Barty is currently bidding for her first title. She will face Japanese Misaki Doi in the Round of 32.

The Australian Open quarterfinals exit must lie heavy on Barty’s shoulders, and she will want to compensate for that loss with a Grand Slam title from elsewhere.

Undisputedly, she has been putting her unrivaled skills on display match after match. Therefore, it would not be a surprise to see her lift the French Open title again.

Can Barty top her Miami Open victory and grab a Grand Slam this year?

Also Read: With Miami Open 2021 Triumph, Ash Barty Maintains Stronghold Over Naomi Osaka for World No.1 Spot