Multi-talented Barty returns to tennis court

MELBOURNE: Ashleigh Barty’s short stint as a professional cricketer has helped the former Wimbledon junior champion refresh for the grind of the tennis tour, according to her cricket coach Andy Richards.

The 19-year-old Australian announced her return to the court on Monday, 17 months after stunning her home country by quitting the game that promised so much for her.

Barty’s second stab at her first love has been warmly welcomed by local players and tennis fans alike, but the door will always be open for a return to cricket given the aptitude she showed for the team game.

“She could have played cricket for Australia inside 12 months,” Richards, her coach at Queensland Fire and Brisbane Heat, told Reuters on Tuesday.

“She’s one of those unique individuals who is multi-talented and made the transition very, very easily. I’d be more than happy to have her back,” he added.

Unranked, Barty will ease back into tennis this week by playing doubles at a $25,000 event in Perth on the second-tier ITF circuit.

Her 2011 girls’ title at Wimbledon at the age of 15 raised hopes in Australia she might one day become a grand slam singles champion. A stellar 2013 saw her pair up with compatriot Casey Dellacqua and make the women’s doubles finals at three of the four grand slams.

It was not long before the competitive fires raged again and Richards was immediately impressed by the teenager who pitched up in Brisbane for a first crack at Australia’s favourite team sport. “I chucked her on a bowling machine. She hit about 150-odd balls and didn’t nick any of them and middled most of them,” he said. “It was quite startling, even if she wasn’t technically correct. Hitting thousands of tennis balls is a perfect base for cricket,” he added.