Ash Barty has made a lifelong impression without pretence, agendas or grandstanding | Mel Jones

When the new Wimbledon champion acknowledged my Aboriginal flag T-shirt on Centre Court she showed the importance of connection

I first met Ash Barty in the middle of the Gabba. It was 2015 – the year she took a break from tennis to play for the Brisbane Heat in the WBBL – and she was inspecting the pitch as if she’d played the game of cricket for years. My initial thought was, “Why would anyone leave behind a professional tennis career of note to try and make it through Brisbane grade cricket into a low paying domestic competition in a completely different sport?”

We chatted, not for long, but long enough for it to have left an impression on me. As I walked back to the commentary box, I was struck by the refreshingly simple yet driven nature of one of Australia’s most talented athletes.

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from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3eem2vW
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