Ashleigh Barty said she “certainly” didn’t think the French Open would be her first Grand Slam title, but with the Roland Garros crown sealed, she would head to the next few majors as one of her favorites and target her “next goal” to become the number one world.
The Australian, the first player from her country to win in Paris since Margaret Court in 1973, took a break from tennis in 2014 to play professional cricket. But the 23-year-old has rapidly risen up the rankings since returning without a world ranking and will be the world number two on Monday.
Her dominant 6-1, 6-3 final victory on Saturday over Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova will certainly have her earmarked as a player who can consistently compete on the biggest stage. “Certainly not here, that’s for sure. It’s just been an amazing journey that we’ve had over the last few years,” Barty said.
“I just tried to tell myself on the court that I may never get this opportunity again, so enjoy it, try and grab it with both hands and go out there and smile.
