'So proud of you baby': Partner's beautiful tribute to Ash Barty
Ash Barty’s partner has paid a beautiful tribute after the young Aussie clinched her maiden grand slam crown.
The 23-year-old beat unseeded Czech Marketa Vondrousova 6-1 6-3 in Paris on Saturday to become Australia's fourth French Open singles champion - and first in 46 years.
Barty, who only returned to tennis three years ago, was ruthlessly efficient against the 19-year-old as she became just the 17th Australian female player to win a grand slam crown.
And her biggest fan was over the moon, taking to social media to pay an emotional tribute.
“Amazing! The puppies and I are so proud of you baby! Many more to come,” Gary Kissick wrote in an Instagram.
Kissick is frequent in expressing his love for Barty on social media.
“A big happy birthday to the best person I’ve ever met!” he wrote recently.
“Some say you have a mean slice, just wait till they see your dab. I love you @ashbar96, thank you for all of the joy you have brought into my life.
“I hope you have another amazing year and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us and the puppies.”
Kissick has been a constant support for Barty over the last few years and is often spotted courtside at the Australian Open.
On top of the world
"It's remarkable," Barty said after her triumph.
"At the moment it's a bit too much and a bit out there, really.
"But it's amazing. We have done the work, and we tried to put ourselves in these positions. Now that we're here, it's just incredible."
Barty's success in Paris means she is the ninth different winner from the past 10 slams and a genuine contender for Wimbledon next month on her favourite surface of grass.
Five years after quitting the sport in despair, Barty joins Australian legends Margaret Court (1962, '64, '69, '70, '73), Evonne Goolagong Cawley (1971) and Lesley Bowrey (1963, '65) on the Roland Garros honour roll.
"For the last fortnight, the stars have aligned for me," she said after going one better than Fed Cup teammate Samantha Stosur, who lost the 2010 final to Francesca Schiavone.
"I have been able to play really good tennis when I've needed it.
"I never dreamt that I'd be sitting here with this trophy here at the French Open.
"I mean, obviously we have dreams and goals as children, but this is incredible."
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Barty is also only the third Australian since the turn of the century to claim a singles major, following Stosur's 2011 US Open triumph over Serena Williams and Lleyton Hewitt's 2001 New York win and 2002 effort at Wimbledon.
The new queen of clay will pocket a cool $3.74 million after winning a tournament where she'd never passed the second round on five previous visits.
with AAP
