Australian teenage tennis prodigy Ashleigh Barty believes she’s on the right track despite ending 2014 without a grand slam victory.

After earning her own way into a major for the first time with three straight qualifying wins, Barty found 30th seed Barbora Strycova Zahlavova too tough at the US Open on Tuesday.

“She served really well, didn’t let me into it,” Barty said after her 6-1 6-3 first-round defeat.

“You’ve just got to move on and not worry too much about it.”

Barty started 2014 as the world No.164, but the former Wimbledon junior champion will likely fall out of the top 200 from her current position of 186th after failing to defend her second-round effort at Flushing Meadows last year.

But after being gifted wildcards into her previous eight grand slam events, the 18-year-old was proud to have gained entry the hard way in New York.

“I think I’ve actually done alright,” she said.

“My ranking hasn’t gone the way I wanted it to, but I’ve probably had my best year by ways of wins and losses.

“It’s always nice to get those accumulation of matches and I feel like I’ve done that. And the ranking just hasn’t gone where I’ve wanted it to.

“That comes and goes sometimes and you’ve got to keep nudging away, working hard and eventually the ranking will start taking care of itself.”

Barty’s Open campaign isn’t finished yet.

The Queenslander will again play doubles with Casey Dellacqua after the pair made last year’s final, as well as mixed doubles with countryman John Peers.