A decade ago Ashleigh Barty was crowned junior Wimbledon champion.

The Queenslander toppled Irina Khromacheva in straight sets in the 2011 girls’ singles final, signalling that the Australian was destined for the top.

Since then Barty has taken a hiatus from the sport, lifted a Grand Slam title and reached the peak of the rankings.

The 25-year-old is daring to dream that by mid-July she could be holding the Venus Rosewater Dish aloft.

“Over the last couple of years, I've learnt a lot about myself. And in particular last year, being away and not having the opportunity to play at Wimbledon, it almost reminded me of how much I do love coming here and how much this tournament means to me,” declared the No.1 seed.

“One day I would love to be the champion here. It's a dream. It's a goal. Dreams don't always come true, but you can fight and do everything you can to give yourself that opportunity. That's been a lot of my learnings over the last two years as a person - not just as a professional tennis player, but as a person - is putting my hopes and dreams out into the universe and chasing them.

“You can dare to dream, you can try and dream big. There's certainly nothing wrong with that.”

The world No.1, having recovered from a left hip injury that forced her to retire in the Roland-Garros second round, has been posed with a tricky puzzle in the first round.

Barty will take to Centre Court alongside Carla Suarez Navarro, the former world No.6 who has beaten cancer to wave goodbye to Wimbledon on her own terms this summer.

“It's incredible to have Carla back. When she came back on Tour, it was just a sense of excitement from everyone. To know that she's got this tremendous character of resilience and strength, longevity. She's been on the Tour for a long time at the very top of the game. I think for me to be able to experience opening Centre Court on Tuesday with her is going to be really cool,” stated Barty.

“I hope that we have a great match. I know I'm going to have to bring my very best level to be able to compete with her. She's been one of the best for a long time. Just to see her back here doing what she loves has brought a smile to not only my face but all the other players, the teams. I know the tour staff as well were genuinely excited to see her back.”

It’s the 50th anniversary since Barty’s mentor and compatriot Evonne Goolagong Cawley won the first of her two Wimbledon singles titles in 1971. The Australian’s smile beams when talking about the multiple major winner.

“It's a really special anniversary for a lot of Australians, but for indigenous Australians in particular I think this is a really special one. For me to be able to wear an outfit inspired by Evonne's iconic scallop dress is really amazing,” revealed Barty, who confides in Goolagong Cawley on a regular basis.

“I wanted to make sure she was OK with it. Before we had put in the process of creating my version of her iconic dress, I wanted to make sure she was OK. Called her and asked her. She was really excited.

“Evonne has guided the way. She's created a path for all of us as Australians, but as a family and for our heritage to know that there is an opportunity to chase after your dreams and to do what you love, she's created a legacy like no other in Australia. I'm exceptionally proud to be able to call her a friend and a mentor, to be able to share heritage.

"For me to be able to pay tribute to that on a really special anniversary is something that I'll never forget. I know not only myself but my team, my family, and Evonne and her family are really excited for the outfit.”

Barty achieved her best Wimbledon showing last time out in the fourth round in 2019. Due to rehab after Paris, Barty arrived in south-west London without any competitive preparation, but is confident she’s in the best possible shape to mount a challenge.

“From a young kid, the first time I played on grass court, I loved it. For me, it's traditional, it's where our sport originated. I loved the challenge of having to adapt the way that you play as the grass changes as well, as you go deeper and deeper into events. The grass gets quicker, it changes as you go. That challenge and that adaptability is something that I've always really enjoyed,” said a buoyant Barty, thrilled to be wielding her racket at SW19 once again.

“You walk through the gates here at The All England Club and you're instantly filled with gratitude. It was a tournament that was sorely missed last year on the calendar, sorely missed for a lot of players.

“It's exciting for me personally to be back here and to have another opportunity to learn more about these courts, to learn and experience more of what this beautiful place can offer.”