Ash Barty clinches Australian Open title: Things you didn't know about her

Ash Barty is Australian Open tennis champion for the first time after a 6-3, 7-6 win over American Danielle Collins.

Barty got the party started by easing to the first set, and looked like she might cruise to Australia's first singles Slam title on home soil for 44 years.

Collins found her feet in the second, going 5-1 up as nerves frayed across Australia.

But, just as she has done numerous times in her career, Barty composed herself and battled back to take the second set on a tie-break and claim the title without dropping a set.

Except for four weeks in the middle of 2019, Barty has been world number one since June 2019.

This was her third Grand Slam title in three years having won the French Open in 2019 and Wimbledon in 2021.

While an Olympic singles gold medal wasn't to be at Tokyo 2020, she did come away with bronze in the mixed doubles.

But her home Slam was the one Barty really wanted, and her hero and surprise guest Evonne Goolagong-Cawley awarding her the trophy made it all the more meaningful.

"I'm a little stumped here..." Barty began in her speech, before finding just the right words:

Here are some things to know about Australia's darling.

1. Everybody loves Ash Barty

On tour, at home, around the world, it's hard to dislike Ash Barty.

She may be a killer on the court, but her kindness and humility off it has won her the hearts of the tennis world and beyond.

When she faced USA hitter Amanda Anisimova in Rod Laver Arena in the fourth round of the 2022 Australian Open, Laver was there to watch. And her tribute to him said it all.

"It's so nice to have Rod here, first and foremost. It's so nice to have him enjoying his own house, enjoying his own court," Barty said.

"He was unbeatable. I'm certainly not. I'm just out here doing what I can, enjoying it, like I said, try and make my opponent's life as uncomfortable as possible. That's my job ultimately."

2. Ash Barty: Ambassador for Indigenous rights

One thing that is endearing about Ash Barty is that she isn't all about Ash Barty.

Egotism, elitism, self-obsession - it's easy to get puffed up and carried off by the hype in the modern world of elite sport, but Barty's down-to-earth attitude and engagement with the real world are most impressive.

Barty is proud of her Indigenous heritage and is involved in a number of initiatives to try and help make life better for others.

Her hero is Evonne Goolagong-Cawley, the winner of seven Grand Slam singles titles and a tennis pioneer from an Australian Aboriginal family.

Barty's father Robert hails from the Ngarigo community of Indigenous people, something that Barty is proud of and makes her a champion of their cause.

She became an ambassador for Indigenous tennis in 2018 and helps promote the playing of tennis across diverse communities and wants to scout, support, and promote promising players across Australia's Indigenous communities.

"We need to let children know that it’s a career opportunity,” Barty has said.

3. Upstaged by Dylan Alcott? Not Ash Barty

On the same day that Barty defeated Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and marched on towards the title, 25 January, three-time Paralympic champion Dylan Alcott was named Australian of the Year.

'How does it feel to be upstaged by another tennis player tonight?' came the question after her match. And the answer was typical of Barty.

"Literally we just FaceTimed, Dylan," Barty began. "What an incredible human being. Genuinely, he is an incredible athlete second but just an incredible man first. The way he has impacted a whole nation has been absolutely remarkable and I couldn't be more wrapped for him to be Australian of the Year. Absolutely unreal."

4. Prickly pear or a bloody ripper? Ash Barty loves her Aussie slang

She's as Australian as an 'arvo off, and Barty loves slinging around her Aussie slang.

“I think if anyone wants to get some Aussie slang,” Barty said recently, “all they have to do is walk past me, really.”

The 25-year-old Queensland native has a broad, proud lexicon of Australianisms, some of which tennis.com did brilliantly to put together:

• Chockers: When a stadium is packed (as in chock-full)
• Stick fat: Persist; stick it out; don’t cave to the pressure
• Bundle up like a bunch of spuds: Opposite of stick fat
• Tacker: A young person who tacks onto someone older; a wanna-be
• Flushing it: Hitting the ball well, flush on the strings
• Eat all of our Brussels sprouts: Prepare well for a new season
• Prickly pear: A set or match that’s trickier than anticipated
• Arvo off: An afternoon away from the court
• Take the pepper out of a match: Build an early lead
• Bloody Ripper: Something, or someone, awesome
• Tall poppy: A showboater

5. Ash Barty partner: They love animals and have five dogs

Ash Barty and her partner Garry Kissick love dogs.

Rudy, Maxi, Alfie, Chino and Origi: They call it their 'Wolf Pack' and it just seems to keep growing.

An ambassador for the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), Barty told Sports Illustrated that:

“Seeing anyone mistreat animals is something I find very hard to bear. I hope my involvement can contribute in some way to the wonderful work the RSPCA team does.”