Australian Open champion and World # Ashleigh Barty announced that she will not be competing at either of the upcoming WTA 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami.
The back-to-back tournaments will be without both Australian Open finalists, with runner-up Danielle Collins also suffering with ongoing injuries.
In a statement released by the WTA, Barty describes how “her body has not recovered in the way that she would have liked” following her triumph in Melbourne. The three-time Grand Slam champion believes she is not currently at the level to win the title at Indian Wells, nor in Miami, where she has been victorious the last two times the event has been held.
Ash Barty has withdrawn from Indian Wells and Miami, aims to return in April for Australia’s home tie at the Billie Jean King Cup. https://t.co/WCDgbQ65XI
Full statement from Barty: pic.twitter.com/oAkT53vHdA
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) March 3, 2022
When is Ashleigh Barty expected to return?
Barty is now aiming to make it back for the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers in April. Australia will take on Slovakia over Easter weekend as the #1-seeded country.
The 25-year-old did not take part in last year’s competition, and will be looking to lead her country one step further than the semifinal defeat to Switzerland in 2021.
Is Barty’s #1 Status at Risk?
Mathematically, yes. However, realistically probably not. Barty has been the dominant force in women’s tennis over the last couple of years, reigning as #1 for 110 weeks. Winning her home Grand Slam has only cemented that.
The gap between the Aussie and the new World #2, Barbora Krejcikova, is currently just under 3,000 points. Barty will drop 1,000 points after Miami, which she won in 2021.
For Krejcikova to claim the top spot she would need to win the title in both Indian Wells and Miami. The last woman to achieve this remarkable feat was Victoria Azarenka, back in 2016.
Despite Barty having that safety net, she will not want to leave it too late to return, as the chasing pack of Krecjikova, Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and Anett Kontaveit will be hot on her heels.
Main Photo from Getty.
