"It’s ‘be the best Emerson Jones that you can be’: Ashleigh Barty tempers Emerson Jones comparisons but lauds 16-year-old

Ashleigh Barty has told Emerson Jones to be the best version of herself she can be instead of getting bogged down in comparisons to her which have been banded around after she took her next step in her career in Adelaide.

Jones who is only 16 became the first Australian junior to reach top spot in those rankings since Jelena Dokic in 1998 and saw off Xinyu Wang in Adelaide earlier this week.

As of time of writing too she will tackle the toughest test of her career thus far in playing Daria Kasatkina. Barty spoke to Aussie media about Jones and what she thinks of her game.

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“(The extra attention) is certainly a different beast, and I think getting to know ‘Emmo’ a lot more over the last couple of years, she’s a very driven person – she’s passionate, she wants to do well, she’s focused, she’s professional,” Barty said.

“I really do think that this Australian summer is almost the perfect opportunity for her to soak it all in and enjoy it without that pressure.

“She’ll want to do well, and she’ll want to play her best tennis, but I think it’s about giving herself the opportunity to embrace it all and soak it all in.”

As well as the comparisons that get levied to her and that her whole life is ahead of her so any sort of comparisons yet are only that.

“I think it’s ‘be the best Emerson Jones that you can be’. Her game has a lot of developing to do, she’s only a young teenager,” Barty said.

“Her whole life is ahead of her, her whole career is ahead … I’m excited for her, and I hope she’s able to come out at this Australian Open and play with a smile on her face and play with freedom because that’s when she plays her best tennis.

“Fingers crossed she can have a really positive experience regardless of the result.”

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