Ashleigh Barty: always a class act



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Ashleigh Barty: always a class act

Ashleigh Barty is one of the best liked players around and the graciousness she displayed with her U.S. Open third round victor, Shelby Rogers, is exactly why the Australian is much beloved on tour. There was no Barty Party for the Queensland native, as she went out in three tough sets to the American, 6-2, 1-6, 7-6(5), but she won in sportsmanship in every way.

Although the world No. 1 felt the “brutal” loss, she shook off those feelings, and embraced her rival at the net, and the two shared a good laugh. And the mirth continued between these two warm friends, as they crossed paths during the press conference event.

A positive, good natured approach has always been Barty’s appeal, and it’s a good bet it’s a sense of strength for bouncing back from losses for the Australian.

The 25-year-old has plenty of wins to her name, including two grand slams.

“She is one of the most professional people I’ve ever met in my life, as well as a good person, a funny individual,” Shelby Rogers said in her post-match press conference, according to Yahoo!

“Just refreshing to see. She’s super down-to-earth. I mean, she is one of my favorite people. “I was joking before, every time I lost to her, I can’t be mad because she’s such a nice person. It’s like ‘man, she just kicked my butt’.

Then it’s like ‘oh, you’re going to find it one day’. "She's always encouraging to everybody around her. She brings up the energy wherever she goes. I can’t say how much respect I have for her and what a great representative she is for women’s tennis”.

Barty’s always been a class act, which has endeared her among fans and competitors. It’s hard not to root for her every time she plays. If there’s one thing that Ted Lasso’s taught us, people love to root for those with positive motivation, even if they lose.

Watching the Wimbledon champ you get the sense that she could easily fit in the audience, cheering on her opponent. She’s a team player in a very individual sport. "It's never nice when you have a couple opportunities to serve out the match and can't get it done," Barty said post-match about rallying in the second set and sitting with the lead in the third.

"But it's brutal, it's a tough one to swallow...it's disappointing but we'll move on."

However, in the press conference, true to form, it didn’t take her long to heap praise on her opponent and friend.

"Credit to Shelby, she was able to adjust to those conditions a lot quicker than I did," Barty said. "It sucks in tennis that there's a winner and loser every single day, but sometimes you don't mind losing to certain people," she said later in the presser.

"I think Shelby in a sense of her personality and her character, she's certainly one of those for me”.

It’s not the first time Barty’s praised her opponent, and we know it won’t be the last time.

Of all the players on the women’s tour, Ash Barty is who I would want to hang out and have a beer with. She defines cool, effortless class.

Ashleigh Barty