Major warning over Ash Barty's 'imposter syndrome'

Ash Barty found her killer instinct in Miami and is edging towards shaking the ‘imposter syndrome’ that hangs around the quiet achiever.

The 22-year-old Aussie secured a double triumph last week, taking home the biggest title of her life and reaching the world’s top 10 for the first time.

Barty defeated three top-10 players – including rival Petra Kvitova for the first time – in Miami for what became a defining week in her ‘second career’ since returning from cricket.

However, high-profile tennis pundits Catherine Whitaker and David Law have warned the weight of expectation still hangs over Barty.

“That feeling of belonging at the top is not natural to some people, and I think there’s a big element of that with Ash Barty,” Whitaker said on the Tennis Podcast.

“There’s a fine line between being charmingly unassuming, which is a positive thing, and that imposter syndrome, which, although entirely understandable and relatable, is a negative thing which has to be overcome.

“It was incredibly uplifting to see Barty go out there and believe in herself.”

While Barty is still growing as a tennis player, Law went a step further and suggested she was perhaps too relaxed about her results.

But the Briton says he saw signs of monumental change in the Australian throughout the week in Miami.

“I tend to find that Ash Barty carries herself as a player who wants to play nice tennis, but she’s not out there trying to win at all costs,” he said.

“She competes, she punches the clock, and then she sees what the result is.

“This week it was different. I got the sense that she absolutely thought her game was good enough to hurt opponents, and it was.”

No.1 in waiting?

Barty is back on home soil after her Florida title, all set to lead Australia in a Fed Cup semi-final in Brisbane later this month.

Retired doubles great Todd Woodbridge led the chorus of praise following her breakthrough performance, telling AAP she was capable of winning the French Open and going all the way to No.1.

Tennis legend Rod Laver was also effusive in his praise for the young star, saying “more titles await”.

“I think I have the game on clay to be able to do some damage, I just have to continue to learn how to use it properly,” Barty said in response.

“(The praise) is very kind of them, it really is, but I know I have a long way to go.

“But this clay court season in particular is an opportunity to go out and learn more about myself on that surface.”

It took Caroline Wozniacki and Maria Sharapova to beat Barty in tight three-setters on clay in the build-up to last year’s French Open, while an unseeded Serena Williams did the same in the second round in Paris.

Barty thinks the worm has turned since then and, with a never-before-seen 14 different winners from 14 WTA events this season, knows the opportunity is there.

“A bit of a turning point was to play my brand of tennis and execute better on the big points,” Barty said of her Miami run.

“Yes it’s open but I also feel like it’s stronger than ever before. It’s about who can execute best on the day.”

with AAP