It is fair to say that if she could choose which surface to play on, Ashleigh Barty would never pick a clay court.
At 18th in the world, the 21-year-old has featured in four WTA Singles finals so far in her career. Three on hard courts and one on the grass. Furthermore, she is yet to defeat a top 10 player on a surface other than the hard. Barty is hoping to change her fortunes around this week at the Charleston Open, where she is seeded ninth. She has got off to a strong start on Tuesday with a 6-3, 6-2, win over Sofia Kenin. A top 100 player who recently stunned Daria Kasatkina at the Miami Open.
“Every week we’re on the clay is a week we’re closer to the grass.” Barty joked with the media in Charleston. “I think I have to embrace it. Obviously we’re stuck on the clay for the next couple of months, and I’m very much looking forward to the grass. I’ve gotta get my socks a little bit dirty first.”
It is unfair to conclude that Barty can’t shine on the clay. In the doubles, she has achieved success on the surface alongside Casey Dellacqua. Winning a duo of doubles trophies on the clay and reaching the final of the French Open last year. Losing to Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova.
Going into this week, the Australian has won 10 out of 15 singles matches played so far this season. Reaching the final of the Sydney International at the start of the year. More recently, Barty has experienced mixed results at the two American Premier events. In Indian Wells she crashed out in her first match to Greece’s Maria Sakkari. Then she had better luck in Miami with a run to the fourth round. It was at Miami when she also won her first ever Premier title in the doubles alongside Coco Vandeweghe.
Aiming to carry the momentum onto the clay, Barty admits that she is excited by the challenges she is set to face.
“I’d love to be able to play a lot of matches on the clay because it means you’re doing well.” She explained.
“There’s nothing worse than sort of going 04 or 05 and really getting a chance to get into a tournament. But we’re (my team) excited to embrace it, go out and have a crack and try and get used to the clay as much as I can.”
Barty continues her Charleston campaign on Wednesday against Germany’s Tatjana Maria. She is currently ranked in the world’s top 20 in both the singles and doubles.
