Melbourne, Australia, 25 July 2013 | tennis.com.au

Ash Barty has been nominated as a finalist in the Female Sportsperson of the Year category at the upcoming Deadly Awards.

“The Deadlys” – also known as the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Music, Sport, Entertainment & Community Awards – will be held on 10 September at the iconic Sydney Opera House.

In addition to Barty’s category, the awards also honour achievements in other areas of sport as well as in the fields of music, the arts and community, and see the presentation of several lifetime achievement awards.

Barty has been nominated in a category alongside soccer player Kyah Simon, softballers Vanessa Stokes and Stacey Porter, and hurdler Shannon McCann.

> vote for Ash Barty at the 2013 Deadly Awards

The 17-year-old rising star has made big strides in the professional tennis ranks in 2013.

She won her first Grand Slam main draw match at the French Open, made a winning singles debut for Australia in Fed Cup against Switzerland in April, and reached the quarterfinals of the BMW Malaysian Open in February, her best-ever WTA-level result.

On the doubles court this year she has enjoyed stellar results partnering compatriot Casey Dellacqua; the pair have reached the finals at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, as well as winning the WTA Birmingham title.

This is the third consecutive year that Barty has been nominated at the Deadly Awards.