Barty feels "weary but grateful" as she racks up trophies during a stressful WTA season

Although the WTA season has been more challenging this year due to new regulations created by the pandemic, that has not stopped Ashleigh Barty from having one of the best seasons of her career.

The World No.1 defeated Jil Teichmann in Cincinnati last weekend to lift her fifth WTA singles title of the season, and has been on the road since leaving her native Australia in March. The 25-year old admits to feeling drained from all the traveling but is still grateful to be able to play tennis.

“It is the grand adventure,” Barty said of her road trip. “Once we left Australia, our mindset was this is going to be a year like no other and we’re going to have to find ways to not only enjoy it but entertain ourselves.

“I can promise you I’m exhausted, but I’m also extremely grateful and appreciative that I still get to come out here and do what I love. I think this week, something that seems so simple but we know it’s not simple in the current world that we live in, is having crowds."

However, Barty revealed that having crowds back in the stands has been a blessing, as they provide her with the motivation and energy required to see the difficult days through.

"One real energy booster for me this week was seeing all the young kids and seeing smiles on the kids’ faces when we were practicing," added Barty. “There was one kid on the very first day we practiced, he was sitting behind the court and he turns to his dad and says, ‘Oh, I love watching Ash play, it’s amazing how she hits a ball.’ And I was like, oh, that’s pretty cool. That’s cool to hear from a young kid who’s come to a tournament, who loves tennis, who has probably been craving this tournament for two years. And to be here and provide me with that energy was just awesome.

Barty will be aiming to add another Grand Slam title to her cabinet, as she will be the top seed at the upcoming US Open.