27 February 2013 | Tennis Queensland

YOUNG tennis ace Ashleigh Barty will receive a key to her hometown at a special ceremony held later this year. Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said Ipswich City Council planned to present a key to the city to the 2013 Australian Open Women’s Doubles Runner-Up tennis player.

“We are thrilled by Ashleigh’s achievements in the tennis world and are extremely proud that she is Ipswich-born,” Cr Pisasale said. “The whole of the city was cheering her on during the recent Australian Open.”

As one of Australia’s rising international tennis players, Cr Pisasale said it was appropriate Barty’s significant achievements were recognised in her home city.

Despite her young age, the 16-year-old has already experienced a series of career highs during the past two years of professional competition. Most recently, Ashleigh and her doubles partner Casey Dellacqua became the first Australian duo to reach the women’s doubles final of the Australian Open since 1977. Prior to that, she gained public recognition for her impressive performances in Junior Grand Slam Singles and Junior Grand Slam Doubles Championships at the Australian Open, French Open and US Open. She also took out the Junior Wimbledon Grand Slam Singles title in 2011 followed by numerous wins at a string of International Tennis Federation tournaments.

Cr Pisasale said as a result of her significant personal milestones achieved at such a young age, Barty had already been acknowledged as a positive role model for Ipswich youth when she was selected as the 2012 Ipswich Australia Day Junior Sportsperson of the Year. “Given her continued success since we believe Ashleigh would be a most worthy recipient of the key to the city and look forward to presenting it to her soon,” he said.

In a tweet, Barty said she was honoured to be receiving the key to the city and was humbled by the amount of recognition and kind words she received. “I love calling Ipswich home and can’t wait for the ceremony later in the year,” she wrote.

Originally published in Satellite (Northern Edition), Brisbane