Following her historic French Open win, Aussie tennis champion Ash Barty let her hair down in true blue style – with a few beers and a steak.
After her straight sets victory against Czech Marketa Vondrousova in Paris on Saturday, the 23-year-old had a no frills celebration with her team.
Hours after taking out her first ever Grand Slam title, the Queenslander celebrated at an Italian restaurant with her team, including coaches Craig Tyzzer and Mark ‘Tubby’ Taylor and manager Nikki Craig.
Barty, who became the first Australian to win the French Open in 46 years, didn’t get back to her hotel til 2am after a night of pasta, steak and no long rambling speeches.
Ash Barty, who became the first Australian to win the French Open in 46 years, had a no frills celebration – with beers, pasta, steak and no long rambling speeches
‘The last time I tried those beers (Kronenbourg 1664), it was after losing the doubles final here with Casey (Dellacqua). They taste better this time, ‘ Barty grinned as she told the Herald Sun in Paris.
‘It was a great evening, just those closest to me. Beers, steaks, pasta. No speeches, just fun’.
It’s no surprise Barty chose steak to be her maiden meal as the new world number 2, as she ritually meets her old coach for a steak at Brisbane’s Breakfast Creek hotel.
Before heading off for her celebratory dinner, Barty spent hours doing media rounds at Roland Garros.
Ash Barty poses for a photo with the winners trophy during Day fifteen of the 2019 French Open at Roland Garros
Running on just a few hours’ sleep, Barty returned to Court Philippe-Chatrier for her champions’ photos with the press on Sunday.
Wearing a midi-length black dress, shiny black stiletto pumps and her hair in a sleeked-back bun, Barty couldn’t wipe the smile off her face as she posed with the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen trophy.
‘It’s now starting to sink in and it will stay in my mind forever,’ Barty told reporters while posing with her trophy against Roland Garros’ famous red clay photo wall.
She is set to jet out of Paris on Sunday, local time, to meet up with her proud parents Josie and Rob who are staying in England with extended family.
Running on just a few hours’ sleep, Barty returned to Court Philippe-Chatrier for her champions’ photos with the press on Sunday
Wearing a midi-length black dress, shiny black stiletto pumps and her hair in a sleeked-back bun, Barty couldn’t wipe the smile off her face as she posed with the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen trophy
There she will enjoy some R & R, including a few holes of golf with her loved ones and coach Craig Tyzzer.
After taking a few days off, Barty will start getting ready for the grass court season in Britain, including Wimbledon which begins on July 1.
She will also make time to reunite with her boyfriend and golfer Gary Kissick.
It took Barty just three short years to climb from number 623 in the world to number 2 after returning to tennis from a hiatus, saying she never fulled closed the doors on the sport.
Barty, 23, made history as the first Australian to win the French Open in 46 years after demolishing Czech Marketa Vondrousova in two sets in Paris on Saturday
‘For me, I needed time to step away, to live a normal life, because this tennis life certainly isn’t normal. I think I needed time to grow as a person, to mature.
The well-earned celebrations come after the text message sent from a fellow indigenous tennis star which kept her from quitting professional tennis was revealed.
Vondrousova congratulated Barty on her victory: ‘You are an amazing player and, you are such a nice person, so you deserve this,’ after the 6-1, 6-3 final
Barty, a Ngaragu woman, has previously been mentored by tennis legend Evonne Goolagong Cawley, from the Wiradjuri people, and the pair have been longtime friends.
But the text message Barty received from the 67-year-old Grand Slam champ which all but saved her tennis career has now been revealed.
In 2014, Barty, then 18, took a break from tennis after suffering depression from the high pressure of the WTA tour.
Ash Barty (right), a Ngaragu woman, has previously been mentored by tennis legend Evonne Goolagong Cawley (left) , from the Wiradjuri people, and the pair have been longtime friends
Goolagong Cawley reached out to Barty to support her through her difficult time, texting her ‘Hey, darl, good decision. Go and wet a line,’ which is a fishing term used to express enjoying life.
Barty then tried her hand at cricket for two years, before coming back to tennis three years ago.
The tennis champ shared the encouraging text message she received from Goolagong Cawley more recently.
‘Evonne sent me a text a couple of days ago and said this was her first slam and spotted her name on the trophy,’ Barty said at a press conference in Paris.
Goolagong Cawley reached out to Barty to support her after she gave up tennis for three years in 2014 due to depression, texting her ‘Hey, darl, good decision. Go and wet a line.’ Pictured: Newcombe Medal at Crown Entertainment Complex in November 2018
‘It’s amazing how she’s created this path for indigenous tennis in Australia and I think now it’s becoming more nationwide.
‘There’s more opportunities for kids to play tennis, both male and female, and I hope we can continue to create those opportunities and let kids know that this is an option for a career. And even if it’s not, it’s a sport that they can play for life.’
In turn, Goolagong Cawley and her husband Roger stayed up all night watching Barty’s win and exchanging international calls, and passing on their congratulations to the new star in Paris.
‘Ash has already heard from me and knows how happy I am for her and her lovely family,’ Goolagong Cawley told SBS.
Goolagong Cawley has mentored Barty for the past five years, and the two of them regularly speak on the phone and text each other.
The 67-year-old has had a decorated career in tennis. She took out a number of Grand Slam titles, won the Australian Open four times, and also won the French Open.
She went on to be inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame and the International Tennis Hall of Fame, but then lost all contact with the sport once she retired, and stopped watching the game altogether.
Barty tried her hand at cricket for two years, before coming back to tennis three years ago. Pictured: batting for Brisbane Heat in the Women’s Big Bash League in December 2015
But then in 2011, up-and-coming youngster Ash Barty reignited Goolagong Cawley’s love of tennis when she won the girls’ title at Wimbledon at the age of just 15.
Goolagong Cawley watched Barty compete at the Australian Open, and saw her as an inspiration for other indigenous players.
‘I just saw one game and I thought, ‘that’s it, she’s got it’,’ Goolagong Cawley said at the time, ‘It was great to see somebody play with so many skills.’
On International Women’s Day this year in March, Barty said Goolagong Cawley inspired her in both tennis and life since she was a kid.
‘Evonne’s outstanding achievements and her passion for helping the indigenous community are two things I admire. I feel grateful for our friendship.’
Goolagong Cawley herself has had a decorated career in tennis. She took out a number of Grand Slam titles, won the Australian Open four times, and also won the French Open. Pictured: playing at the Wimbledon Championship in 1980 in London