As Ash Barty was basking in the adulation of returning to Brisbane as the world No 1 in January 2020, Kimberly Birrell was buzzing about the media room preparing for the future. Birrell, the only Australian guaranteed to play women’s singles at Roland Garros this year, bounced between social media opportunities and player interviews with enthusiasm.
As a Tennis Australia social media assistant, the Queenslander presented like a journalism graduate in the midst of a dream summer internship doing her best to impress. With her work ethic and intellect clear, she was offered a similar media role at the Australian Open.
