Sydney, June 24 -- Australia's greatest female tennis players, Margaret Court and Evonne Goolagong Cawley, have joined in celebrating the rise of compatriot Ashleigh Barty to the No. 1 world ranking which they both held.

Barty became the first Australian woman in more than 40 years to take the top ranking by claiming her third title of 2019 on Sunday in Birmingham. Her mentor and idol Goolagong Cawley, who won seven grand slams, was the first in 1976. The WTA rankings were introduced in 1973.

"In 2019, with all the pieces in place, her rise has been almost unstoppable," Goolagong Cawley said in a statement on Monday. "Ash is a very worthy No. 1 and winning at the French will have given her even more confidence.

"I am so proud that anot...