New world number one Ashleigh Barty has dismissed comparisons with Evonne Goolagong Cawley and insisted she is a long way short of being as good as the Aussie tennis legend.
Barty became the first Australian woman to reach the top of the rankings since seven-times grand slam champion Goolagong Cawley reached the sport’s pinnacle for two weeks in 1976.
The 23-year-old joined Goolagong Cawley, John Newcombe, Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt in the pantheon of Australians who have earned the number one spot in tennis.
Hewitt’s reign at the top ended in June 2003, the last time an Australian of any gender held that position.
With just five defeats in almost eight months and a tour-topping 36 wins already this year, Barty’s rise to the top is nothing but deserved.
The 23-year-old added the Birmingham Classic to the French Open title she won earlier this month by beating Germany’s Julia Goerges 6-3, 7-5 for her 11th successive victory.
Her success at the Edgbaston Priory Club saw Barty usurp Japan’s Naomi Osaka and she will now head to Wimbledon next week as the likely number one seed and with a huge chance of replicating Goolagong Cawley’s last Centre Court success in 1980.
However, the humble Queenslander said she still has a long way to go to be classed in the same bracket as the Australian tennis great.
