World number one Ashleigh Barty, who won the Stuttgart Open recently, was criticized for still holding the number one ranking despite not playing a single tournament when the tour resumed at the end of last year.
The rankings freeze which both the tours introduced had helped Barty to stay on top of the pile while she was away from the game. Her comeback this year would surely answer all the questions of her still being the number one ranked player. The Australian clinched three WTA tour titles and reached the quarter-finals at the Australian Open this year.
A 45-shot rally and a double-fault have the same value
Her recent victories against Karolina Pliskova, Elina Svitolina, and Aryna Sabalenka at the Stuttgart Open have all come after being a set down. Barty’s dominance was visible from the second set onwards as it kept on rising till the match was finished. To bounce back after losing a set is no cakewalk, and the Aussie managed to do this three times in a single tournament, and in back-to-back matches!
Speaking after her victory, Barty explained how she handles the pressure in big matches after knowing that the game can turn upside down within a few seconds.
“I think at times it’s important to realize some big moments or some key moments in matches, but ultimately, no matter how good or how bad the point is, its value is the same. Whether it’s a 45-shot rally and you scramble all over the court but then the next point you hit a double fault, they’ve both got the same value,” Barty explained.
She went on to say that it’s not over till it’s over and one must push the opponent at every point, hoping that an odd stroke of luck would shift momentum and turn the tide.
“…no matter what the score is, you’re never out of the hunt. That’s a massive thing. There’s no timer counting down. There’s no finish until it is finished. So it’s important to keep giving yourself a chance, to keep turning up each and every point.”
Proud of our week ? #11 pic.twitter.com/L3Ym3mWiTU
— Ash Barty (@ashbarty) April 25, 2021
Important not to let that one point feel like it changes the match
While many (if not most) tennis enthusiasts believe that a single point can change the outcome of a match, the number one ranked player has a different point of view.
“It’s important to know that it doesn’t matter whether it’s the first point of the match, a break point or match point, whatever it is you do in that point is only the value of one. So it’s important not to let one point feel like it changes the match because it doesn’t… Yes, there can be shifts in momentum, but if you tell yourself that one point changed a match, I think you’ve kind of viewed it the wrong way… Looking at it from a wider lens and a different perspective is important sometimes,” the Australian continued.
Usually a cool customer on-court, Barty’s excellent handling of the pressure by treating every point equally seems to be working so far. It’s a natural thing to see players faltering on important points during a set, especially on their serve.
As the Aussie mentioned, if they can see the big picture and consider their overall performance to blame for their loss instead of that one bad point, they can be relieved of a huge burden.
Here are some of the highlights of Barty’s match against Sabalenka in Stuttgart… enjoy!
