Just a few years ago, $132 would have bought you eight tennis lessons with Ash Barty.
Homesick and burnt out from her early forays on the professional tennis treadmill, Barty had quit the game following a first round defeat at the 2014 US Open.
And in between training for her remarkable switch to pro cricket, Barty was coaching at the humble West Brisbane Tennis Centre – for a more than competitive $16.50 a pop.
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“Kids were pretty spoiled… I think it might cost a bit more than that now,” Barty’s childhood coach Jim Joyce laughed during a chat with Peter Psaltis on Wide World of Sports radio.
“She was coaching ladies, older women as well and was just loving it. I was going ‘I’ve got to get her back (into playing pro tennis)’, but you couldn’t force her into it, it had to come from her.”
After her breakthrough Australian Open triumph on Saturday, Barty paid tribute to Joyce for challenging her to be a complete player with the ability to excel on all three surfaces.
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After her cricket stint, Barty returned to tennis in 2016 and linked with Craig Tyzzer as her new coach.
But she remains staunchly loyal to her first mentor Joyce – and vice versa.
“It would have been the biggest tragedy in tennis in Australia, if not sport, if she hadn’t come back and played – and just never played again,” Joyce said.
“It would have been the biggest waste. I knew she had the ability… what a tragedy that would have been if she never played again.”
Having watched Barty’s first two Grand Slam titles from afar, Joyce was courtside at Rod Laver Arena for her drought-breaking win.
His faith in his prodigy never wavered, even when Barty dug herself a big second set hole against Danielle Collins.
“Down 5-1, I turned to Jason Stoltenberg and said ‘mate, I actually think she’s going to still win (the second set).’ He must have thought I was crazy but he didn’t say anything, Stolts.
“I didn’t talk to anybody, I just focused on the match,” Joyce said.
“It was like a fairytale and once she got to 5-3, seeing the way she was springing off her step… the only thing that didn’t go to plan, and Stolts rubbed it in a bit, was I predicted the score wrong. It wasn’t 7-5, it was 7-6. We had a fairly solid night after.”
Joyce said he was “very emotional” after Barty’s win.
“One of her sisters grabbed me and was crying and that cracked me up a bit I must admit – quite a lot actually. When you see how some of these other sportspeople, and especially tennis players, act on the court – she’s just a credit to her family.
“In the foyer after, Ash saw me, came over and gave me a big hug, a lovely smile and said, ‘Jimbo, you finally made it to one (Grand Slam victory).’ And that just meant the world to me.”
After speaking with a laser-focused Barty before the tournament, Joyce had a good feeling that the AO drought was about to be broken.
And sure enought, the 25-year-old Queenslander romped through the draw without losing a set in one of the most dominant Grand Slam performances in recent history.
“I’m not going to insult her opponents but she spends more time on the practice court,” Joyce said.
“When she makes her mind up and gets determined… Ash’s work ethic is just unbelievable.”
Joyce was also in awe of Barty’s mental fortitude given the intense pressure to win a home slam.
“Wimbledon was more of a dream but an Aussie winning at home, we all know how long that’s taken, the expectation and pressure, the media are insane – well, some of the media are insane. I’m still getting TV stations wanting me on tonight.
“It’s pressure enough on someone like me and I’m out in the background somewhere, way back. What she has to go through…”
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