World number one tennis ace Ashleigh Barty has paid a visit to RSPCA Australia to spend time with the koalas while bushfires rage across the country.

The French Open champion announced earlier this week that she will donate all her prize money from the Brisbane International to the bushfires relief fund.

And Barty took time out of her preparations for the 2020 season to visit some of the animals affected by the raging fires.

Speaking about the impact of the blazes, the 23 year-old said: "Being an ambassador for the RSPCA is something very close to my heart. 

"One of the first things Gary (Barty's boyfriend) and I did was come down here and visit the animals.

"And obviously with all the bushfires which have been going around, on and around our country has been terrible and devastating for all the people but also for all of the animals.

"The work that the RSPCA do in trying to help as many of the animals as possible is incredible."

Barty is currently competing in the doubles at the Brisbane International with Kiki Bertens.

The duo are set to face Nicole Melichar and Xu Yifan in the quarter-finals tomorrow at 2.15pm.