It's a Barty Party

By Clare Sultmann

Tonight I know where I’ll be. On the couch, feet up, cup of tea in hand and cheering home our last Aussie hope in singles draw for the Australian Open 2019. And what a hope she is!

Ashleigh Barty take a bow. The 22 year old from Ipswich, a working-class town in Queensland has the hopes of a nation on her shoulders.

Whatever the outcome tonight, you have done us proud. Australia is behind you 100% and then some.  You see we love a win, yet we love a fighter more. Someone who epitomises the very core of our culture- the never say die attitude. Dig deep, fight hard, have a go, and no matter what, never give up.  As a nation, we stand for it and as player, so too does Ash Barty.

In a week when we’ve been witness to tantrums, excuses, and even allegations of blackmail its nice to get behind someone to be proud of. You see tennis is a lonely game. Sure you have your coaches, your support crew and your team, but on the court, it’s just you. No-one is there to throw the ball to, to pass to, and to kick to. After her match, Ash talked about the fact that in the third set against Sharapova she had to trust the work she and her team had done to get her through and she was right. Prior preparation certainly prevents a poor performance, yet when push comes to shove, no-one is there to advise her, to hold her hand or make plays for her. She is on her own and she has shown over the past week, the true markings of a champion. Grit and grace and a whole lot more. When Sharapova took an extended bathroom break after losing the second set to Ash with some suggesting it was unfair and a ploy to slow down Ash’s rising momentum, she took it all in her stride and came out swinging- literally.

Her interviews reveal an everyday girl who has worked extraordinarily hard to get to the place where she now finds herself. She is playing tonight to become the first Aussie woman in 35 years to obtain a semifinals berth at the Australian Open since Wendy Turnbull in 1984. It’s a big call and she’s up against Petra Kvitova, the player she lost to in the Sydney International final a few weeks ago. It won’t be easy, yet nothing in life worth having ever is. Win or lose, one thing we can all be sure of is that Ash Barty will do her best and, as a nation, that’s all we ever ask for. It’s a Barty Party and let's get behind our girl.

Clare Sultmann is a wife, mother of 3 and the founder of Dear Molly.
As a survivor of a catastrophic accident, former barrister at law, published author, and nationally accredited mediator Clare has returned to work in a different capacity. Relocating to Noosa shortly after the birth of her first child, Clare found it difficult to make meaningful and real connections with other like-minded women away from her own network of friends. With this in mind, Clare’s idea was born. Dear Molly aims to provide connections for like-minded women in a real, meaningful and positive manner. It a platform to share, communicate and inspire other women about their ‘real’ life.