Hometown Hero Ashleigh Barty Ready To Shine At The Australian Open

Hometown Hero Ashleigh Barty is pretty confident that she will make Australia proud by performing well at her home slam. She is getting ready to join the tournament as the top player in the hosts.

On Monday night when she takes Thailand's Luksika Kumkhum at the Margaret Court Arena Barty will be the first time she enters the court as the best Australian Open prospect.

Listed No.15 in the world, Barty is the highest seeded female athlete in Australia since Sam Stosur in 2013 and also the fourth best bookies' favorite.

the rising Australian star reportedly will face Caroline Wozniacki who is the reigning Australian Open Champion in its quarter-final if both progress as they hope

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Wozniacki said on Sunday:

"Ash has been playing very good over the past couple of years.  She's got an awesome game. Super hands. Super hands. But, after a killer in 2018, with two titles from the WTA and a fourth run at the US Open, the 22-year-old Barty said that the outside sound in Melbourne would have no detrimental effects on her."

She further Justified, that she is better than the current Champion by saying:

"I think the only expectation is that I put on myself, to do everything right and to put myself in a position to perform as best that I can, the support we get in Australia is phenomenal. All Australians, you ask any one of them, it's spine-tingling at times.

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She further said that she definitely feels the pressure but she is overwhelmed by the support she is receiving, as

"You know, I'm excited to get out there and try and play my best tennis for myself, my team and the Australian public, but there is certainly no extra pressure from them. I think, if anything, it's embracing the support that you do get."

Barty also insisted that she would end up the tournament on a better place as she was knocked in the third round last year.

"I'm a different player than I was 12 months ago. I feel like I'm a much better player. I'm a more complete player, You know, certainly, with a week like this, I have had probably one of the best weeks of my career. I feel like I'm playing great tennis. I'm so excited to be back at the Australian Open. It's the best time, well, the best way for us to start the year as Australians."

Barty has still had more distinguished races this summer, losing for the second year in a row in the Sydney international final and losing on Saturday night in a third set tiebreaker to world No 8 Petra Kvitavo.

In straight sets in Sydney, she knocked worldwide No.1 and knocked Kiki Bertens and Elise Mertens No.12 on their way to the final as well. The Queenslander this year has registered two out of three victories at the Hopman Cup, despite her first-round elimination, last summer.

Adapted From smh.com.au