Our tennis ace, Ash Barty, is a decent human being. Beyond reproach.
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Her detractors are anything but decent human beings. They have no heart, less soul.
Ah copped a score of backhanders when she fronted the mandatory press conference after losing her Australian Open semi-final to Sofia Kenin.
She walked into the press conference carrying her baby niece.
The rats of the press, and there are more of them today than ever before, claimed she was using the baby as a diversion from likely barbed questions as to her surprise defeat.
The press had been salivating. Couldn't wait till get Barty in a muck lather.
Guys this wasn't a post-World War conference. It was sport. Maybe you guys should try being one.
Hark, hear the questions: Did you feel you let yourself down as well as your legion of fans?
"Was Kenin better than you expected?
"Where did you go wrong?"
Barty's answers: "I did my best.
"Sofia is on the rise She played extremely well.
"I missed my chances in both sets."
Answers with or without baby.
Ash, as honest as the day.
And, who knows, baby niece may one day be sitting in Ash's chair nursing her own baby.
Conclusion: Ash is so much more decent than the majority of tennis writers and a very boring television interviewer who, while a scholar of reading the play, needs a lesson or two on interviewing.
