Barty wins ”The Don” Award, recognised as Oz”s top athlete

TIL Desk Sports/ World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty has been awarded Australian sport”s highest individual honour. Barty won ”The Don” Award at the annual Sport Australia Hall of Fame dinner on Thursday night and has joined legends like Cathy Freeman and Ian Thorpe in lifting the prestigious prize.

Barty was the first Australian to win the French Open in 46 years and is now aiming to become the first Australian woman to end the season with the number one ranking since Margaret Court in 1973. It comes only five years after Barty announced she was taking an indefinite break from tennis.

Speaking on Thursday night, Barty said that the lessons she learned during her 12-month hiatus, during which she played cricket professionally, were instrumental in her rise to the number one ranking.