Six years ago, school students in Brisbane could book a private tennis lesson with Ash Barty for just $16.50 a session.
Six years ago, Ash Barty wasn’t even playing tennis.
The Queenslander had taken an indefinite break from the sport and signed with the Brisbane Heat for the inaugural season of the Women’s Big Bash League.
Barty was the first Heat player to clear the boundary rope in the WBBL, smacking a six against the Melbourne Stars on her way to a quick-fire 39 off 27 balls in the season opener.
Watch Tennis Live with beIN SPORTS on Kayo. Live Coverage of ATP + WTA Tour Tournaments including Every Finals Match. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial >
“I needed to take that time away,” Barty said in 2019.
“I feel like I came back a better person on and off the court, a better tennis player.
“For me, having that 18 months off was vital.”
Less than four years later, she was the No. 1 ranked tennis player in the world with a French Open title under her belt.
Barty’s rapid rise is perhaps epitomised best by a pamphlet from 2015, uploaded to Twitter following last week’s Australian Open final triumph over America’s Danielle Collins.
Just under seven years ago, school students in Graceville could book a private tennis lesson with Barty at the West Brisbane Tennis Centre for just $16.50 a session.
“Kids were pretty spoiled … I think it might cost a bit more than that now,” Barty’s childhood coach Jim Joyce told 4BC.
“She was coaching ladies, older women as well and was just loving it. I was going, ‘I’ve got to get her back (into playing pro tennis),’ but you couldn’t force her into it, it had to come from her.”
Barty gave Joyce a shout-out following her round three victory over Italy’s Camila Giorgi at Melbourne Park.
“The big fella’s actually surprised me today,” she said on Rod Laver Arena.
“Jim, my first coach, he flew down, and I saw him about an hour before my match. I said, ‘Mate, what are you doing here?’
“It was nice of him to be here.
“He challenged me to be the most complete player I could be.”
Barty returned from her tennis hiatus in 2016 with Craig Tyzzer serving as her coach. She has since won three grand slam singles titles and cemented her place among the modern greats of Australian sport.
“It would have been the biggest tragedy in tennis in Australia, if not sport, if she hadn‘t come back and played – and just never played again,” Joyce said.
“It would have been the biggest waste. I knew she had the ability … what a tragedy that would have been if she never played again.”