How cricket helped Ash Barty break Australia’s Australian Open jinx

1, top seed’ targets on her back, and hopes of a nation on her shoulders, Ashleigh Barty became the first Australian player to win the Australian Open singles title since 1978. Risky drop shots, opportune volleys, and the all elite overhead. Barty was coaching kids when she was invited to speak at the national women’s cricket team dinner. “ How she bends and picks the ball with a double backhand, sometimes on the half-volley, and powers it deep cross-court. Ongoing women’s Ashes was her distraction before Saturday’s final. The sentiment was perhaps best summed up at an awards show by comedian Rove McManus, who broke down the Ash Barty-tennis-cricket love triangle.