Ashleigh Barty has revealed how she’s splashing out after hitting the jackpot at the WTA Finals in Shenzhen.
Not on herself, but on donations for the RSPCA.
Barty guaranteed herself at least a $1.45 million pay cheque for the week after storming into the semi-finals with a 6-4 6-2 rout of Petra Kvitova in her last round-robin match.
The world No.1 will face either world No.2 Karolina Pliskova or Wimbledon champion Simona Halep on Saturday for a berth in the final.
While Pliskova and Halep clash on Friday for the right to challenge Barty, Australia’s top seed will be fighting her own battle on her day off.
“Typically I’m a morning person, but I’m trying to stretch that out as much as I can because we’re kind of on a late schedule. Trying to stay away from online shopping is my biggest issue,” Barty said.
“When I have that much time, I can go on and do a bit too much shopping.”
Like she did before her late start on Thursday.
At least it was for a worthy cause.
“Today was actually some stuff for the RSPCA at home,” Barty said.
“I was doing a little bit of online shopping because I know they’re in need of kind of normal stuff for the cats and dogs and kind of everything at the RSPCA shelter.
“A little bit for them to give back to them when I’m back home in Australia at the end of the year. We’re really excited to do it.”
The dog lover became an RSPCA ambassador last year and donated the cash she won from her Fed Cup Heart Award in June to the animal welfare organisation, which doubles as Barty’s charity partner.
“I have four dogs – the two boys that live with me and two girls that live with mum and dad that I got when I was still living with them,” Barty told AAP.
“At the moment, they’re all having a little sleep over at mum and dad’s house so that’s pretty nice. The wolf pack’s in full force.”
Before she returns home to her precious “little fluffballs that are collectively probably all of 35 kilos”, Barty also has Australia’s Fed Cup final against France next week in Perth following Sunday’s climax in China.
The 23-year-old is the first Australian reach the last four of the WTA Finals since Samantha Stosur in 2012 and Barty is delighted that her Fed Cup teammate is also through to the doubles semi-finals in Shenzhen.
Stosur and Zhang Shuai clinched their spot in the semi-finals with a 6-3 7-6 (9-7) win over Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova.
“It’s incredible for Sam. I’m so happy she was able to be here,” Barty said.
“Selfishly, from a Fed Cup point of view as well, I’m pretty pleased that we’re both here still playing matches, leading all the way up to playing Fed Cup next week. It’s going to be really exciting for both of us.
“There’s no better preparation than playing matches.”