Incredible Barty can win Wimbledon - Stubbs

Rennae Stubbs says Ashleigh Barty can go from strength to strength after experiencing her finest hour in Paris.

Published : Jun 11, 2019 16:51 IST

Ashleigh Barty with her French Open title.
Ashleigh Barty with her French Open title.
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Ashleigh Barty with her French Open title.

Rennae Stubbs believes Ashleigh Barty can win back-to-back grand slam titles at Wimbledon and does not expect the French Open champion to peak for at least another two years.

Barty thrashed Marketa Vondrousova 6-1, 6-3 to claim her first major singles title at Roland Garros on Saturday.

The steely Australian rose to the occasion in the biggest match of her career, ruthlessly defeating the Czech teenager in a battle of two first-time major singles finalists.

READ | Brilliant Barty savours Paris perfection

Four-time grand slam doubles champion Stubbs says there is much more to come from the new world number two and thinks the 23-year-old can win Wimbledon next month.

Stubbs told Omnisport : "Ash has a very good chance at Wimbledon. She can play on every surface and always says she is strongest on grass, although it was no surprise to me she won the French Open, as I always thought she could be great on clay.

"There is no question she can win another slam. She is only going to get better and better and I think she will peak at 25, 26, maybe 27.

"She has so many shots to choose from and I think when you are an all-court player like that, you get better as you get older."

Barty took a 21-month hiatus from tennis - during which time she played professional cricket for Brisbane Heat - before returning to the circuit in 2016 and Stubbs feels she is reaping the rewards from that break.

"I think when you've been a junior Wimbledon champion aged 15 it sets you apart, but it is also is what hurt her going forward with all that expectation and pressure," Stubbs added. 

"She always had the talent, it was just mentally whether she wanted it. She made such a really substantial decision to walk away from the game - when she was doing very well - as she was not happy.

"To go away and play cricket and teach tennis to kids et cetera, it was a really good way for her to step away and realise what she had, which was an incredible ability to play tennis.

"It's amazing that someone of that age to realise she wasn't happy and wasn't going to have the success she thought she probably should being in the mental state she was, which was miserable being away from home.

"I think she knew she was destined to be this good but knew mentally she wasn't ready for it. I think that's an incredible story that she stepped away and came back."

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