Forget burnout, Ashleigh Barty is pledging to complete “unfinished business” and bring the Fed Cup trophy back to Australia for the first time in 45 years.
Far from being worn out after icing her magical year with the season-ending championship in Shenzhen, Barty says donning the green and gold for Australia in this weekend’s final against France remains her top priority.
“To have a Fed Cup final at home is very rare and very precious and we can’t wait to get stuck in,” the world No.1 told AAP before leaving China.
“After Wimbledon this year, I was chatting to my team and I said to them I wanted to target the last two weeks of the season and we’ve been able to do part of that here in Shenzhen and there’s certainly some unfinished business.
“There’s a massive week of tennis ahead.
“It’s been a goal and a dream of mine to try and be in a Fed Cup final and to finish off the perfect year in the most perfect fashion playing for Australia in the green and gold is going to be remarkable.”
Unbeaten in six singles and doubles rubbers in Australia’s first two ties this year, Barty will again carry a twin load against France and insists she has energy to burn.
Australian captain Alicia Molik has already outlined her plans to give the spearhead and teammate Samantha Stosur light duties after both featured in the WTA Finals in China.
Stosur, certain to again team with Barty for the potentially decisive doubles rubber on Sunday and right in the mix for the second singles spot ahead of newly eligible Australian No.2 Ajla Tomljanovic, made the semi-finals of the season-ending doubles event with Zhang Shuai.
“I’ve still got more than enough matches in me. Of course I do,” Barty said.
“I know that we’ll do all the right things over the coming days to make sure that my body’s ready, my mind’s ready.
“But it’s certainly not going to be a hard thing to get ready for.
“I know this is going to be a massive weekend for me personally, for Alicia, for our team and for the Australian public.
“To have a Fed Cup final at home, is very rare and very precious.”
Australia have lost their past eight Fed Cup finals stretching back to the Evonne Goolagong-led triumph in 1974.