'THE SMARTEST ONE': SABALENKA HEAPS PRAISE ON BARTY

Aryna Sabalenka and Ash Barty shake hands in Madrid. (Getty/Gabriel Bouys)

She may not be around on the WTA Tour anymore, but Ash Barty has received uplifting recognition from a current world No.1.

During press just moments after a fourth-round straight sets win at the All England Club, Aryna Sabalenka was asked to name two or three players who she feels possess the best tennis IQ.

The two-time Australian Open winner named Novak Djokovic, given that the pair have shared the practice court in recent weeks. However, she also mentioned a retired Aussie.

"Talking to Novak, he definitely has a lot of knowledge of the game, and it's really helped me a lot several times," Sabalenka said.

"I mean basically whenever I talk to him, it really helps me.

"But someone that I played against... I think actually Barty... she was always very smart and she definitely understands the game quite well. I think she was the smartest one."

Sabalenka and Barty split their head-to-head count 4-4, as both players have clinched the No.1 ranking and own three Grand Slam titles.

As the top seeds continue to drop like flies at Wimbledon, all eyes will be on Sabalenka and whether she can capitalise by not only reaching her maiden final at SW19, but winning the tournament for the first time.

The 27-year-old has won all three of her tiebreaks en route to the quarter-finals, where she awaits German cinderella story Laura Siegemund.

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