Watch Ash Barty’s body language as she strides onto Rod Laver Arena on Saturday night to try and bust the host nation’s four-decades-plus Australian Open title drought.
If it’s anything like what Australian tennis great Todd Woodbridge noticed already this fortnight, the world No.1’s shoulders will be a little further back and she will radiate confidence.
“Ash seems more comfortable with everything this summer,” Woodbridge said.
“Early on in her career, Ash would lower her chin and eyes and look a lot to the ground.
“But you can see the confidence and aura about her now in the way she walks out, and even the way she goes to press – there’s that little more surety in her responses and in who she is.”
Woodbridge isn’t alone in forensically breaking Barty down since her first match this year against Coco Gauff in Adelaide, when she trailed by a set and 2-4, with another break point to save.
Barty won that match – her first in four months since the US Open – and hasn’t dropped even a set since in crushing some of the world’s best players.
The last Australian to win the Australian Open women’s singles title was Chris O’Neil way back in 1978, while it was two years before that when Mark Edmondson won the men’s championship.
The nation’s obsession with that drought, and Barty, only increased after each dominant victory in her barnstorming run to Saturday’s final against American Danielle Collins.
Barty’s former doubles partner, Casey Dellacqua, believes her breathtaking form owes to the “clarity” she has about her task at hand and her commitment to constantly improve.
Tennis Australia’s performance director, 1987 Australian Open semi-finalist Wally Masur, is impressed with her “calm and poise”.
And Jelena Dokic, who made the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park in 2009, said Barty boasted a fear factor over her rivals.
“I’ve spoken to a few players and they genuinely, from a game perspective, really fear going out there against her,” Dokic said.
“She has this champion’s mentality and picks apart her opponents, so there’s even a bit of intimidation – and players are, in a way, afraid to go out there.
“Rafa and Roger have that as well, where players know what they are in for. It’s hard to face that, and Ash has that now as well.”
O’Neil accepted an invite from tournament boss Craig Tiley on Wednesday to attend the final and will be in the stands as Barty chases history.
“It’s a bit of a trivia question and I’ve enjoyed having (that status) for 44 years, but I couldn’t think of handing it over to a nicer person,” O’Neil said.
“I’m very happy and excited for her. I’ve had it for long enough and I think it’s inevitable, anyway.
“If she doesn’t win it this year, which I think she will, she will eventually do it, so it’s on its way out.”
Edmondson will remain the last Australian men’s winner regardless of Saturday night’s result, but his interest extends to the all-local men’s doubles final.
He was one half of the winning team, alongside Kim Warwick, in the most-recent Australian Open doubles clash featuring all Australians in 1980.
Edmondson’s singles experience was different to Barty’s, in that he was the underdog in every match, including upsetting all-time greats Ken Rosewall then John Newcombe to claim the title.
“It was fantastic at the time and you just presume you will have it for a year or two, then someone else will win, but it hasn’t been the case in the men or women,” Edmondson said.
“I’ve spoken to Christine and she’s possibly going to lose her so-called mantle, but really we lost it the year after we didn’t win again.
“It’s the best chance of any man or woman since Chris and I won.
“Ash just has a great demeanor and head on her shoulders. All the shots she plays are great and she works the points out and gives the girls a lot of stuff they’re uncomfortable with.”
Dellacqua’s overwhelming emotion about her close friend’s success is pride but she’s also hugely impressed with her ruthless efficiency.
“She’s playing with this beautiful, relaxed intensity,” Dellacqua said.
“I feel like she’s got a great intent out there. She’s so clear and has so much clarity in specific moments in matches about what she needs to do.
“Let’s not forget she’s won Roland Garros and Wimbledon already and she’s very experienced in these grand slams and knows what it takes.”
Masur was wary about the challenge Madison Keys presented to Barty in the semi-finals but was blown away with her latest authoritative performance.
“Ash just dismantled her and had an answer for everything,” Masur said.
“I can’t see any chinks in her armour, to be honest. There was one match where she didn’t look at anyone really and just played and seemed really calm.
“That, to me, is a pretty good sigxjmtzywn. Even the great players look at their camp, but she had an absolute calm about her, whatever her opponent threw at her.
“There’s always the chance Danielle (Collins) comes out smoking and plays the match of her life but it doesn’t seem to matter with how Ash is playing.”
