Ashleigh Barty will be searching for her subsequent Grand Slam title when she takes on eighth-cultivated Karolina Pliskova in the final at Wimbledon. Ashleigh Barty is attempting to turn into the first Australian woman since Evonne Goolagong in 1980 to win the Wimbledon title. She won the 2019 French Open, while Karolina Pliskova is searching for her first Grand Slam title.&nbsp;

Karolina Pliskova beat She beat Serena Williams in the elimination rounds of the 2016 U.S. Open prior to losing to Angelique Kerber in the championship. This time, Pliskova beat No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the elimination rounds and can turn out to be only the fourth woman in the Open period, which started in 1968, to beat the best two seeds at the All England Club en route to taking the trophy.

<h2>Here is all you need to know about Wimbledon 2021 Women's singles semifinal match&nbsp;Ashleigh Barty vs&nbsp;Karolina Pliskova</h2>

<h2>Where is the Wimbledon 2021 Women’s singles semifinal match&nbsp;Ashleigh Barty vs&nbsp;Karolina Pliskova taking place?</h2>

Wimbledon 2021 Women's singles final match&nbsp;Ashleigh Barty vs&nbsp;Karolina Pliskova will begin at 6:30&nbsp;PM IST on Saturday, July 10th, 2021.

<h2>What is the head-to-head record between Barty and Pliskova?</h2>

Ashleigh Barty at present leads the head-to-head on record 5-2, including a three-match dominating altercation in their last five matches. In fact, Karolina Pliskova has beaten Barty only once in their last five meetings.

<h2>When and how to watch the live coverage of Wimbledon 2021 Men’s singles semifinal match&nbsp;Ashleigh Barty vs Karolina Pliskova?</h2>

The Wimbledon 2021 Women's singles final match Ashleigh Barty versus Karolina Pliskova will be broadcasted live on TV on Star Sports Select 1 and Star Sports Select 2 SD and HD channels.

The online streaming of the Wimbledon 2021 Women's single's final match Ashleigh Barty versus Karolina Pliskova will be accessible on Disney+ Hotstar in India.&nbsp;

Ashleigh Barty will be searching for her subsequent Grand Slam title when she takes on eighth-cultivated Karolina Pliskova in the final at Wimbledon. Ashleigh Barty is attempting to turn into the first Australian woman since Evonne Goolagong in 1980 to win the Wimbledon title.

Ashleigh Barty will be searching for her subsequent Grand Slam title when she takes on eighth-cultivated Karolina Pliskova in the final at Wimbledon. Ashleigh Barty is attempting to turn into the first Australian woman since Evonne Goolagong in 1980 to win the Wimbledon title. She won the 2019 French Open, while Karolina Pliskova is searching for her first Grand Slam title. Karolina Pliskova beat She beat Serena Williams in the elimination rounds of the 2016 U.S. Open prior to losing to Angelique Kerber in the championship. This time, Pliskova beat No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the elimination rounds and can turn out to be only the fourth woman in the Open period, which started in 1968, to beat the best two seeds at the All England Club en route to taking the trophy. Here is all you need to know about Wimbledon 2021 Women's singles semifinal match Ashleigh Barty vs Karolina Pliskova Where is the Wimbledon 2021 Women’s singles semifinal match Ashleigh Barty vs Karolina Pliskova taking place? Wimbledon 2021 Women's singles final match Ashleigh Barty vs Karolina Pliskova will begin at 6:30 PM IST on Saturday, July 10th, 2021. What is the head-to-head record between Barty and Pliskova? Ashleigh Barty at present leads the head-to-head on record 5-2, including a three-match dominating altercation in their last five matches. In fact, Karolina Pliskova has beaten Barty only once in their last five meetings. When and how to watch the live coverage of Wimbledon 2021 Men’s singles semifinal match Ashleigh Barty vs Karolina Pliskova? The Wimbledon 2021 Women's singles final match Ashleigh Barty versus Karolina Pliskova will be broadcasted live on TV on Star Sports Select 1 and Star Sports Select 2 SD and HD channels. The online streaming of the Wimbledon 2021 Women's single's final match Ashleigh Barty versus Karolina Pliskova will be accessible on Disney+ Hotstar in India.

Wimbledon 2021, Finals, Live Streaming: When and where to watch Barty vs Pliskova?

Ashleigh Barty pulled off a staggering 6-3, 7-6(3) triumph more than 2018 champ Angelique Kerber in the Wimbledon elimination rounds on Thursday. Conveying a childhood dream and a country's expectations, Ashleigh Barty will presently hope to give her everything on Saturday when she takes on eighth seed Karolina Pliskova in the final.&nbsp;

In a match that satisfied its charging, Ashleigh Barty and Angelique Kerber delivered some exhausting trades and showed some noteworthy battling souls. After the Aussie floated through the initial set, Angelique Kerber ventured up her game to lead by a break in the second.&nbsp;

However, Ashleigh Barty's tireless accuracy assisted her with taking the match to a second set tiebreak, where she ultimately secured success on her fourth match point. Addressing the press after her success, she battled to communicate her feelings about making the Wimbledon final.&nbsp;

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"It was just almost a moment of relief, a moment of pure excitement. It was something that I never knew if I would feel. I think being able to have an opportunity to play in a final here at Wimbledon is incredible," she said.

The World No. 1 likewise saved a couple of words for Angelique Kerber, recognizing that the left-hander was incredible.&nbsp;

"I think for me today it was about knowing that I could draw on my experiences from my two previous semis, and I think I was able to do that. But Angie is an incredible competitor. She's a great champion. I knew that I had to bring my very best level today to match it with her," she added.

Ashleigh Barty had no authority grasscourt matches added to her repertoire leading the pack up to Wimbledon this year. A progression of injuries had constrained her out of the game for half a month following Roland Garros, and there were concerns she wouldn't have the option to give her best at SW19.&nbsp;

Ashleigh Barty had won the junior Wimbledon trophy in 2011. As she presently focuses on a definitive trophy - the Venus Rosewater Dish - Ashleigh Barty opened up about gaining from her experience as a lesser when she went as far as possible.&nbsp;

"I think Wimbledon for me has been an amazing place of learning. I think 10 years ago I came here for the first time as a junior and learned a lot in that week," she said.

She additionally pondered her setbacks, particularly in the years 2018 and 2019. Ashleigh Barty lost in the third round in 2018 and the fourth round in 2019, despite the fact that she was relied upon to go much more profound.&nbsp;

"Probably 2018, 2019 was some of my toughest weeks playing. To come away with our losses in those two tournaments, I learned a hell of a lot from those two times. I think a lot of the time your greatest growth comes from your darkest times. I&nbsp;think that's why this tournament has been so important to me. I've learned so much with all my experiences, the good, bad, everything in between I've been able to learn from," she concluded.

Ashleigh Barty pulled off a staggering 6-3, 7-6(3) triumph more than 2018 champ Angelique Kerber in the Wimbledon elimination rounds on Thursday. Conveying a childhood dream and a country's expectations, Ashleigh Barty will presently hope to give her everything on Saturday when she takes on eighth seed Karolina Pliskova in the final.

Ashleigh Barty pulled off a staggering 6-3, 7-6(3) triumph more than 2018 champ Angelique Kerber in the Wimbledon elimination rounds on Thursday. Conveying a childhood dream and a country's expectations, Ashleigh Barty will presently hope to give her everything on Saturday when she takes on eighth seed Karolina Pliskova in the final. In a match that satisfied its charging, Ashleigh Barty and Angelique Kerber delivered some exhausting trades and showed some noteworthy battling souls. After the Aussie floated through the initial set, Angelique Kerber ventured up her game to lead by a break in the second. However, Ashleigh Barty's tireless accuracy assisted her with taking the match to a second set tiebreak, where she ultimately secured success on her fourth match point. Addressing the press after her success, she battled to communicate her feelings about making the Wimbledon final. ALSO READ: Tennis: Novak Djokovic set to rule over Wimbledon's young pretenders "It was just almost a moment of relief, a moment of pure excitement. It was something that I never knew if I would feel. I think being able to have an opportunity to play in a final here at Wimbledon is incredible," she said. The World No. 1 likewise saved a couple of words for Angelique Kerber, recognizing that the left-hander was incredible. "I think for me today it was about knowing that I could draw on my experiences from my two previous semis, and I think I was able to do that. But Angie is an incredible competitor. She's a great champion. I knew that I had to bring my very best level today to match it with her," she added. Ashleigh Barty had no authority grasscourt matches added to her repertoire leading the pack up to Wimbledon this year. A progression of injuries had constrained her out of the game for half a month following Roland Garros, and there were concerns she wouldn't have the option to give her best at SW19. Ashleigh Barty had won the junior Wimbledon trophy in 2011. As she presently focuses on a definitive trophy - the Venus Rosewater Dish - Ashleigh Barty opened up about gaining from her experience as a lesser when she went as far as possible. "I think Wimbledon for me has been an amazing place of learning. I think 10 years ago I came here for the first time as a junior and learned a lot in that week," she said. She additionally pondered her setbacks, particularly in the years 2018 and 2019. Ashleigh Barty lost in the third round in 2018 and the fourth round in 2019, despite the fact that she was relied upon to go much more profound. "Probably 2018, 2019 was some of my toughest weeks playing. To come away with our losses in those two tournaments, I learned a hell of a lot from those two times. I think a lot of the time your greatest growth comes from your darkest times. I think that's why this tournament has been so important to me. I've learned so much with all my experiences, the good, bad, everything in between I've been able to learn from," she concluded.

Wimbledon 2021: An opportunity to play in a final here is incredible, says Ashleigh Barty

Ashleigh Barty booked her slot in the third round of Wimbledon 2021 with a straight-set triumph over Anna Blinkova on Thursday. She&nbsp;had to retire at the French Open because of a physical issue, was stupendous during her second-round match against Anna Blinkova. She broke the World No. 89 six times on the way to a 6-4, 6-3 triumph.&nbsp;

In her post-match interview, the Aussie said that she feels comfortable on grass while communicating her desire for more grasscourt competitions on the principal circuit. She said: "This is a beautiful court. I feel that grasscourt tennis is where it's at. I wish we could play the whole year on it. It's a traditional surface, I just love it and I certainly enjoyed being back out here today."

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Ashleigh Barty then, at that point stored acclaim on her rival Anna Blinkova, demanding that she and her group needed to do a ton of homework while sorting out their procedure against the Russian. She said: "We had to do a lot of homework to try and work out how we were going to figure out her game and how we matched up, but she played a great match today."

Ashleigh Barty additionally brought up how Anna Blinkova had the option to run her nearby in the perishing moments of the match. The Russian had four break point openings at 3-4, however, she neglected to underwrite. Ashleigh Barty hung on prior to breaking by and by a couple of moments later to secure the triumph.&nbsp;

"Really, there were a few points here and there and it could have been a different story, so I'm happy to be able to get through and get another opportunity to play," Barty said.

In her on-court interview after the match, Ashleigh Barty uncovered that she was so glad to play in front of the spectators at SW19. She likewise affirmed that the involvement with the grass-court Slam was nothing without its crowd.&nbsp;

"It's been a great year so far. I think for all the players and the fans, it is certainly nice to have you guys in the stands. I think Wimbledon wouldn't quite be the same without you, so it's nice to have you here."&nbsp;

Ashleigh Barty will next face Katerina Siniakova for a spot in the second seven-day stretch of Wimbledon. In the event that she wins, the Aussie could confront reigning Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova in the fourth round.&nbsp;

It is appropriate to take note oh Ashleigh Barty's professional best outcome at Wimbledon came in 2019 when she arrived at the fourth round on the rear of a 15-match series of wins. The Aussie's run, be that as it may, reached a matter-of-fact conclusion as she was beaten in three sets by Alison Riske.

Ashleigh Barty booked her slot in the third round of Wimbledon 2021 with a straight-set triumph over Anna Blinkova on Thursday. She had to retire at the French Open because of a physical issue, was stupendous during her second-round match against Anna Blinkova.

Ashleigh Barty booked her slot in the third round of Wimbledon 2021 with a straight-set triumph over Anna Blinkova on Thursday. She had to retire at the French Open because of a physical issue, was stupendous during her second-round match against Anna Blinkova. She broke the World No. 89 six times on the way to a 6-4, 6-3 triumph. In her post-match interview, the Aussie said that she feels comfortable on grass while communicating her desire for more grasscourt competitions on the principal circuit. She said: "This is a beautiful court. I feel that grasscourt tennis is where it's at. I wish we could play the whole year on it. It's a traditional surface, I just love it and I certainly enjoyed being back out here today." ALSO READ: Wimbledon: Fun day at the office for Zverev as he reaches third round Ashleigh Barty then, at that point stored acclaim on her rival Anna Blinkova, demanding that she and her group needed to do a ton of homework while sorting out their procedure against the Russian. She said: "We had to do a lot of homework to try and work out how we were going to figure out her game and how we matched up, but she played a great match today." Ashleigh Barty additionally brought up how Anna Blinkova had the option to run her nearby in the perishing moments of the match. The Russian had four break point openings at 3-4, however, she neglected to underwrite. Ashleigh Barty hung on prior to breaking by and by a couple of moments later to secure the triumph. "Really, there were a few points here and there and it could have been a different story, so I'm happy to be able to get through and get another opportunity to play," Barty said. In her on-court interview after the match, Ashleigh Barty uncovered that she was so glad to play in front of the spectators at SW19. She likewise affirmed that the involvement with the grass-court Slam was nothing without its crowd. "It's been a great year so far. I think for all the players and the fans, it is certainly nice to have you guys in the stands. I think Wimbledon wouldn't quite be the same without you, so it's nice to have you here." Ashleigh Barty will next face Katerina Siniakova for a spot in the second seven-day stretch of Wimbledon. In the event that she wins, the Aussie could confront reigning Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova in the fourth round. It is appropriate to take note oh Ashleigh Barty's professional best outcome at Wimbledon came in 2019 when she arrived at the fourth round on the rear of a 15-match series of wins. The Aussie's run, be that as it may, reached a matter-of-fact conclusion as she was beaten in three sets by Alison Riske.

Wimbledon 2021: I wish we could play the whole year on grass, says Ashleigh Barty

World number one Ash Barty moved into the third round at Wimbledon but not without a battle as she overcame spirited Russian Anna Blinkova and her own inconsistency in a 6-4 6-3 win on Thursday. 
 
The top seed never looked in danger against the 89th-ranked Blinkova, but it was still not plain sailing for the Australian scrapper. 
 
Her serve, so often a dependable weapon, was at times wayward, as she hit nine double faults and was broken three times, while her 33 unforced errors suggest she has some way to go to get fully sharp on the grass. 
 
Barty, whose sole Grand Slam title came at the 2019 French Open, has never gone beyond the last 16 at Wimbledon. 
 
She ultimately had too much firepower for Blinkova, however, and wrapped up victory after an hour and 30 minutes when her opponent swiped a forehand long. 
 
"A few things didn`t feel quite right today. That`s half the battle in sport, being able to find a way when it`s not feeling all that great," Barty told reporters. 
 
"I felt like when my back was against the wall today I was able to bring the good stuff. It just wasn`t quite there all the time." 
 
Next up for Barty will be an encounter with 64th-ranked Czech Katerina Siniakova, who booked her spot in the third round with a 4-6 6-2 6-2 win over CoCo Vandeweghe. 
 
Yet there are certainly some creases to iron out in the Australian`s game before then. 
 
IMPROVEMENT NEEDED 
 
After taking 49 weeks out of the sport as tennis closed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Barty returned to the tour exhibiting the sort of consistency that has seen her finish the campaign at the top of the rankings for the last two years. 
 
This season she has won more titles, reached more finals and beaten more top-10 opponents than anyone else on tour, but against Blinkova there was room for improvement. 
 
Barty has fired down more aces than anyone this year, but her serve was vulnerable in the afternoon sun on Centre Court. 
 
She was broken twice in the opening set, with some of her issues self-imposed as the double fault count mounted. 
 
"Not my best serving day. But that happens as well. I felt like I was just out of rhythm a little bit. A few technical things weren`t quite feeling spot on," she said. 
 
"But you have those days where some days you feel like you`re eight-foot tall and can`t miss the box. Other days you feel like you`re three-foot-nothing, just getting (the ball) over the net is a bit of a battle." 
 
Barty eventually came through the opener with three breaks of her own and then threatened to run away with the match as she won four games in a row to take a 2-0 lead at the start of the second set. 
 
Blinkova dug in, however, hitting back against the Barty serve to level at 2-2 and holding firm until the top seed turned the screw with two further breaks to close out the contest.

World number one Ash Barty moved into the third round at Wimbledon but not without a battle as she overcame spirited Russian Anna Blinkova and her own inconsistency in a 6-4 6-3 win on Thursday.

World number one Ash Barty moved into the third round at Wimbledon but not without a battle as she overcame spirited Russian Anna Blinkova and her own inconsistency in a 6-4 6-3 win on Thursday. The top seed never looked in danger against the 89th-ranked Blinkova, but it was still not plain sailing for the Australian scrapper. Her serve, so often a dependable weapon, was at times wayward, as she hit nine double faults and was broken three times, while her 33 unforced errors suggest she has some way to go to get fully sharp on the grass. Barty, whose sole Grand Slam title came at the 2019 French Open, has never gone beyond the last 16 at Wimbledon. She ultimately had too much firepower for Blinkova, however, and wrapped up victory after an hour and 30 minutes when her opponent swiped a forehand long. "A few things didn`t feel quite right today. That`s half the battle in sport, being able to find a way when it`s not feeling all that great," Barty told reporters. "I felt like when my back was against the wall today I was able to bring the good stuff. It just wasn`t quite there all the time." Next up for Barty will be an encounter with 64th-ranked Czech Katerina Siniakova, who booked her spot in the third round with a 4-6 6-2 6-2 win over CoCo Vandeweghe. Yet there are certainly some creases to iron out in the Australian`s game before then. IMPROVEMENT NEEDED After taking 49 weeks out of the sport as tennis closed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Barty returned to the tour exhibiting the sort of consistency that has seen her finish the campaign at the top of the rankings for the last two years. This season she has won more titles, reached more finals and beaten more top-10 opponents than anyone else on tour, but against Blinkova there was room for improvement. Barty has fired down more aces than anyone this year, but her serve was vulnerable in the afternoon sun on Centre Court. She was broken twice in the opening set, with some of her issues self-imposed as the double fault count mounted. "Not my best serving day. But that happens as well. I felt like I was just out of rhythm a little bit. A few technical things weren`t quite feeling spot on," she said. "But you have those days where some days you feel like you`re eight-foot tall and can`t miss the box. Other days you feel like you`re three-foot-nothing, just getting (the ball) over the net is a bit of a battle." Barty eventually came through the opener with three breaks of her own and then threatened to run away with the match as she won four games in a row to take a 2-0 lead at the start of the second set. Blinkova dug in, however, hitting back against the Barty serve to level at 2-2 and holding firm until the top seed turned the screw with two further breaks to close out the contest.

Tennis-Barty wins Blinkova battle to reach Wimbledon third round

Ashleigh Barty will meet visit veteran Carla Suarez Navarro in her first-round match at Wimbledon 2021. Without reigning champ Simona Halep, the All England Club has chosen to give Ashleigh Barty the honor of opening procedures on Center Court on Tuesday.&nbsp;

After very nearly a year-long break because of the pandemic, Ashleigh Barty's beginning to 2021 was genuinely noteworthy. The 2019 Roland Garros champion has made four finals effectively this year, winning three of them. Ashleigh Barty's best outcome at the All England Club came two years prior when she made the fourth round. She would be quick to enhance that in the 2021 version of the competition.&nbsp;

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Suarez Navarro, in the interim, beat cancer recently and reported that 2021 would be the last period of her vocation. She played the initial match of her comeback at the French Open recently, where she went down battling in three sets against Sloane Stephens. Playing in her eleventh Wimbledon draw, she has arrived at the fourth round thrice.

<h3>Head-to-Head</h3>

There is no head-to-head record between Ashleigh Barty and Carla Suarez Navarro since this will be the first occasion when that they will go head-to-head in the main tour.&nbsp;

<h3>Ashleigh Barty versus Carla Suarez Navarro&nbsp;</h3>

As of now world no. 1 Ashleigh Barty will begin her journey at Wimbledon after she played her last match in Paris where she lost 6-1 2-2 to Magda Linette in the second round.&nbsp;

Ashleigh Barty has a general 28-6 success loss record in 2021, 0-0 on grass. This will be the principal match of the year on grass. Discussing her general profession, Ashleigh Barty has a by and large 280-98 record. She has a positive 52-16 record on the grass.&nbsp;

Positioned no. 138, Carla Suarez Navarro will begin her spat London after she played her last match in Paris where she lost 3-6 7-6(4) 6-4 to Stephens in the first round.

Carla Suarez Navarro has a general 0-1 success loss record in 2021, 0-0 on grass. This will be the primary match of the period on grass. As far as her profession, Carla has a generally 448-309 record. She has a positive 28-25 record on grass.&nbsp;

<h3>Prediction&nbsp;</h3>

Ashleigh Barty's game has regularly been hailed as ideal for speedy grasscourt conditions. She has an assortment of shots in her munitions stockpile alongside wonderful court inclusion, the two of which are resources on a superficial level.&nbsp;

Suarez Navarro will hope to assume responsibility for the conventions with her topspin forehand, and move the favorite around with her flexible solitary strike.

Ashleigh Barty will meet visit veteran Carla Suarez Navarro in her first-round match at Wimbledon 2021. Without reigning champ Simona Halep, the All England Club has chosen to give Ashleigh Barty the honor of opening procedures on Center Court on Tuesday.

Ashleigh Barty will meet visit veteran Carla Suarez Navarro in her first-round match at Wimbledon 2021. Without reigning champ Simona Halep, the All England Club has chosen to give Ashleigh Barty the honor of opening procedures on Center Court on Tuesday. After very nearly a year-long break because of the pandemic, Ashleigh Barty's beginning to 2021 was genuinely noteworthy. The 2019 Roland Garros champion has made four finals effectively this year, winning three of them. Ashleigh Barty's best outcome at the All England Club came two years prior when she made the fourth round. She would be quick to enhance that in the 2021 version of the competition. ALSO READ: Wimbledon 2021: Djokovic avoids shock as Centre Court comes back to life Suarez Navarro, in the interim, beat cancer recently and reported that 2021 would be the last period of her vocation. She played the initial match of her comeback at the French Open recently, where she went down battling in three sets against Sloane Stephens. Playing in her eleventh Wimbledon draw, she has arrived at the fourth round thrice. Head-to-Head There is no head-to-head record between Ashleigh Barty and Carla Suarez Navarro since this will be the first occasion when that they will go head-to-head in the main tour. Ashleigh Barty versus Carla Suarez Navarro As of now world no. 1 Ashleigh Barty will begin her journey at Wimbledon after she played her last match in Paris where she lost 6-1 2-2 to Magda Linette in the second round. Ashleigh Barty has a general 28-6 success loss record in 2021, 0-0 on grass. This will be the principal match of the year on grass. Discussing her general profession, Ashleigh Barty has a by and large 280-98 record. She has a positive 52-16 record on the grass. Positioned no. 138, Carla Suarez Navarro will begin her spat London after she played her last match in Paris where she lost 3-6 7-6(4) 6-4 to Stephens in the first round. Carla Suarez Navarro has a general 0-1 success loss record in 2021, 0-0 on grass. This will be the primary match of the period on grass. As far as her profession, Carla has a generally 448-309 record. She has a positive 28-25 record on grass. Prediction Ashleigh Barty's game has regularly been hailed as ideal for speedy grasscourt conditions. She has an assortment of shots in her munitions stockpile alongside wonderful court inclusion, the two of which are resources on a superficial level. Suarez Navarro will hope to assume responsibility for the conventions with her topspin forehand, and move the favorite around with her flexible solitary strike.

Wimbledon 2021: Ashleigh Barty faces veteran Carla Suarez Navarro in the first-round

Ashleigh Barty is set to kick-off her 2021 Wimbledon campaign&nbsp;as tennis gets back to SW19 following two years. The Aussie has had a great deal of accomplishment effectively this season, winning three WTA titles and establishing her place as the World No. 1. However, she endured a shoulder injury in Rome which lead to a mid-match retirement from the second round of Roland Garros.&nbsp;

Ashleigh Barty hasn't played a match from that point forward and enters Wimbledon with no authority grass-court matches added to her repertoire.&nbsp;

In any case, Ashleigh Barty is presently peering toward a definitive prize at the All England Club. In her pre-match press conference, she said: "One day I would love to be the champion here. It's a dream. It's a goal. Dreams don't always come true, but you can fight and do everything you can to give yourself that opportunity."

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She additionally shed some light on her advancement with recovery, prior to discussing how she feels about the change from clay court to grass court. She said: "I feel like I'm fit, I'm ready to play, I'm excited to play. Straight after Paris, obviously, there was some time where we needed to digest what was going on. We needed to get a full diagnosis. We were able to do that, which is a really crucial part of my rehab. We've been able to go through the rehab, do what we've needed to do, give ourselves the best chance to play here at Wimbledon. I'm good to go."

Ashleigh Barty proceeded to discuss taking motivation from her countrywoman Evonne Goolagong. She said: "It's a really special anniversary for a lot of Australians, but for indigenous Australians in particular I think this is a really special one."

Ashleigh Barty will respect the Australian tennis legend by wearing an outfit redid for the event by her clothing support FILA. The dress has looked at Evonne Goolagong's notable scallop outfit, which she donned when she won the Venus Rosewater dish.&nbsp;

"For me to be able to wear an outfit inspired by Evonne's iconic scallop dress is really amazing. I think for me, that made me feel a lot more comfortable knowing her favorite dress, probably her most iconic dress, is something that inspired me and inspired our generation of indigenous youth. I hope that my version of it, my outfit, can do the same for the next generation of indigenous youth coming forward."

Since reigning champ Simona Halep pulled out of the tournament because of injury, the All England Club has chosen to give the honour of opening Center Court procedures on Tuesday upon Ashleigh Barty. She offered her thanks for that, considering it an honor.&nbsp;She said: “It’s incredibly special. It’s an opportunity very few people get to experience. Of course, I wish Sim was here to be able to experience that. She’s earned the right to open Centre Court on Tuesday as the defending women’s champion.

"I'm extremely excited and humbled to have the privilege and to have the honor. I hope I can go out there on a really special occasion for Australian tennis with Evonne's 50th anniversary. I think it's going to be a really special moment and one that I'm certainly looking forward to."

Ashleigh Barty is set to kick-off her 2021 Wimbledon campaign as tennis gets back to SW19 following two years. The Aussie has had a great deal of accomplishment effectively this season, winning three WTA titles and establishing her place as the World No.

Ashleigh Barty is set to kick-off her 2021 Wimbledon campaign as tennis gets back to SW19 following two years. The Aussie has had a great deal of accomplishment effectively this season, winning three WTA titles and establishing her place as the World No. 1. However, she endured a shoulder injury in Rome which lead to a mid-match retirement from the second round of Roland Garros. Ashleigh Barty hasn't played a match from that point forward and enters Wimbledon with no authority grass-court matches added to her repertoire. In any case, Ashleigh Barty is presently peering toward a definitive prize at the All England Club. In her pre-match press conference, she said: "One day I would love to be the champion here. It's a dream. It's a goal. Dreams don't always come true, but you can fight and do everything you can to give yourself that opportunity." ALSO READ: Tennis: All you need to know Wimbledon 2021 men's and women's singles draws She additionally shed some light on her advancement with recovery, prior to discussing how she feels about the change from clay court to grass court. She said: "I feel like I'm fit, I'm ready to play, I'm excited to play. Straight after Paris, obviously, there was some time where we needed to digest what was going on. We needed to get a full diagnosis. We were able to do that, which is a really crucial part of my rehab. We've been able to go through the rehab, do what we've needed to do, give ourselves the best chance to play here at Wimbledon. I'm good to go." Ashleigh Barty proceeded to discuss taking motivation from her countrywoman Evonne Goolagong. She said: "It's a really special anniversary for a lot of Australians, but for indigenous Australians in particular I think this is a really special one." Ashleigh Barty will respect the Australian tennis legend by wearing an outfit redid for the event by her clothing support FILA. The dress has looked at Evonne Goolagong's notable scallop outfit, which she donned when she won the Venus Rosewater dish. "For me to be able to wear an outfit inspired by Evonne's iconic scallop dress is really amazing. I think for me, that made me feel a lot more comfortable knowing her favorite dress, probably her most iconic dress, is something that inspired me and inspired our generation of indigenous youth. I hope that my version of it, my outfit, can do the same for the next generation of indigenous youth coming forward." Since reigning champ Simona Halep pulled out of the tournament because of injury, the All England Club has chosen to give the honour of opening Center Court procedures on Tuesday upon Ashleigh Barty. She offered her thanks for that, considering it an honor. She said: “It’s incredibly special. It’s an opportunity very few people get to experience. Of course, I wish Sim was here to be able to experience that. She’s earned the right to open Centre Court on Tuesday as the defending women’s champion. "I'm extremely excited and humbled to have the privilege and to have the honor. I hope I can go out there on a really special occasion for Australian tennis with Evonne's 50th anniversary. I think it's going to be a really special moment and one that I'm certainly looking forward to."

Tennis: Playing on Centre Court at Wimbledon is ‘incredibly special’, says Ashleigh Barty

A diminished field of opponents at Wimbledon may make Serena Williams one of the favourites to win a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam, but her long-time coach believes the only important factor is her own performance.

Injury concern for top-ranked Ashleigh&nbsp;Barty and the absence of world No. 2 Naomi Osaka and No. 3 Simona Halep - who beat Williams in the last Wimbledon final - have given the American an ideal opportunity to match Margaret Court's record haul.

But coach Patrick Mouratoglou said it was not about the opponents. "When Serena is (playing like) Serena, I don't know anyone that can stop her," he told Reuters.

"When I say being herself, first it's being able to play at her level, and second, having the mindset that made Serena who she is," he added.

"I respect the opponents. I'm just saying Serena is Serena. There is not one woman in the history of professional&nbsp;tennis&nbsp;that has a record like her ... When she thinks like Serena, when she processes like Serena, I don't think anyone can stop her."

The All England Club's lush green courts are a happy hunting ground for Williams, who has lifted the Venus Rosewater Dish seven times and also won the 2012 Olympics gold medal there.

SUPREME ON GRASS

While she also has seven Australian Open titles on Melbourne's hardcourts, the 39-year-old is unrivalled on grass - she reached the finals in her last four Wimbledon.

"She has a lot of qualities to play well on grass and she has been playing extremely well on grass courts over her career. It's all about being ready and being able to stay healthy for two weeks and perform," said Frenchman Mouratoglou, who has coached Williams since 2012.

"For sure she can do it. I think she can do it anywhere but on grass, it's probably the surface that highlights her game the most. So that's where she's probably the most dangerous."

Despite her run to the fourth round of the French Open, Mouratoglou said Williams was not ready for the claycourt major but was "getting there" for Wimbledon where she is seeded sixth.

Following Roland Garros, Williams returned to Mouratoglou's academy in Nice to&nbsp;prepare and was joined by elder sister Venus, a five-time major champion on grass.

Mouratoglou said the focus was on improving on-court movement for Williams. She also attended the graduation of students at the academy and gave a&nbsp;speech&nbsp;to inspire them.

"Her life has changed a lot. She's become a mother," Mouratoglou said. "It's more about bringing back that process that makes her refuse to lose and when she refuses to lose, she simply doesn't lose."

Mouratoglou is also a mentor to 17-year-old American Coco Gauff, who took Wimbledon by storm in 2019 when she beat Venus Williams on her way to reaching the fourth round.

Gauff has climbed to world No. 23 in her nascent career and is a potential fourth-round opponent for Williams.

"She (Gauff) can improve almost everywhere which is great.&nbsp;She's shown how incredible she can be in the future," Mouratoglou said, adding that a Williams-Gauff meeting would be a "good problem" for him.

A diminished field of opponents at Wimbledon may make Serena Williams one of the favourites to win a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam, but her long-time coach believes the only important factor is her own performance.

A diminished field of opponents at Wimbledon may make Serena Williams one of the favourites to win a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam, but her long-time coach believes the only important factor is her own performance. Injury concern for top-ranked Ashleigh Barty and the absence of world No. 2 Naomi Osaka and No. 3 Simona Halep - who beat Williams in the last Wimbledon final - have given the American an ideal opportunity to match Margaret Court's record haul. But coach Patrick Mouratoglou said it was not about the opponents. "When Serena is (playing like) Serena, I don't know anyone that can stop her," he told Reuters. "When I say being herself, first it's being able to play at her level, and second, having the mindset that made Serena who she is," he added. "I respect the opponents. I'm just saying Serena is Serena. There is not one woman in the history of professional tennis that has a record like her ... When she thinks like Serena, when she processes like Serena, I don't think anyone can stop her." The All England Club's lush green courts are a happy hunting ground for Williams, who has lifted the Venus Rosewater Dish seven times and also won the 2012 Olympics gold medal there. SUPREME ON GRASS While she also has seven Australian Open titles on Melbourne's hardcourts, the 39-year-old is unrivalled on grass - she reached the finals in her last four Wimbledon. "She has a lot of qualities to play well on grass and she has been playing extremely well on grass courts over her career. It's all about being ready and being able to stay healthy for two weeks and perform," said Frenchman Mouratoglou, who has coached Williams since 2012. "For sure she can do it. I think she can do it anywhere but on grass, it's probably the surface that highlights her game the most. So that's where she's probably the most dangerous." Despite her run to the fourth round of the French Open, Mouratoglou said Williams was not ready for the claycourt major but was "getting there" for Wimbledon where she is seeded sixth. Following Roland Garros, Williams returned to Mouratoglou's academy in Nice to prepare and was joined by elder sister Venus, a five-time major champion on grass. Mouratoglou said the focus was on improving on-court movement for Williams. She also attended the graduation of students at the academy and gave a speech to inspire them. "Her life has changed a lot. She's become a mother," Mouratoglou said. "It's more about bringing back that process that makes her refuse to lose and when she refuses to lose, she simply doesn't lose." Mouratoglou is also a mentor to 17-year-old American Coco Gauff, who took Wimbledon by storm in 2019 when she beat Venus Williams on her way to reaching the fourth round. Gauff has climbed to world No. 23 in her nascent career and is a potential fourth-round opponent for Williams. "She (Gauff) can improve almost everywhere which is great. She's shown how incredible she can be in the future," Mouratoglou said, adding that a Williams-Gauff meeting would be a "good problem" for him.

Wimbledon 2021: Serena Williams unstoppable at her best, says coach Patrick Mouratoglou

Wimbledon returns this year after following a two-year rest attributable in 2020 because of the pandemic, and it's practically similar to we're getting re-familiar with a tragically missing companion. Reigning champ Novak Djokovic and record eight-time victor Roger Federer have been set in inverse parts of the draw.&nbsp;The 2021 Wimbledon Championships is the 134th version of the lofty grass-court Grand Slam. The most recent portion of the competition will run from June 28 to July 11.

Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka obviously didn't track down that re-associate excessively critical, as the two of them chose to avoid the occasion for individual reasons. Dominic Thiem is also sitting out because of injury-related issues while reigning champ Simona Halep is missing because she isn't match-fit at this point.&nbsp;

However, in any case, the Wimbledon men's draw has two out of the three greatest men's stars - Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer - just as a greater part of the Next-gen and Next-cutting edge stars.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-novak-djokovic-to-play-teenager-jack-draper-as-wimbledon-returns-393949" hreflang="en">Tennis: Novak Djokovic to play teenager Jack Draper as Wimbledon returns</a>

Men's Singles - Novak Djokovic is the men's singles favourite this year too. Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, Roger Federer, and Matteo Berrettini complete the best eight seedings.

Women's Singles - Ashleigh Barty keeps on holding the top seeding in the ladies' division. The main eight additionally incorporate Simona Halep, Aryna Sabalenka, Elina Svitolina, Sofia Kenin, Bianca Andreescu, Serena Williams, and Iga Swiatek.

<h3>Men's Draws</h3>

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will take on Britain's Jack Draper in the first round.

Roger Federer will dispatch his bid for the 21st Slam against France's Adrian Mannarino. The Swiss could meet Pablo Carreno Busta in the fourth round before a potential quarterfinal conflict against second seed Daniil Medvedev.&nbsp;

Daniil Medvedev, looking for his first Slam, faces Jan-Lennard Struff in the opening round. The Russian could meet previous US Open boss Marin Cilic in the third round and possibly Hubert Hurkacz in the fourth.&nbsp;

Third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas opens against American Frances Tiafoe and could confront Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarterfinals, while fourth seed Alexander Zverev is projected to take on Matteo Berrettini in the last eight.&nbsp;

Two-time Wimbledon champion&nbsp;Andy Murray, a special case contestant this time, will bolt horns with 24th seed Nikoloz Basilashvili in the first round and could meet Canada's Denis Shapovalov in the third round.

<h3>Women's Draws</h3>

On the women's side, favourite Ashleigh Barty will start her journey for a first Wimbledon singles title against Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro. Ashleigh Barty could meet previous US Open hero Bianca Andreescu in the quarterfinals.&nbsp;

Bianca Andreescu opens her mission against Alize Cornet in a rematch of their last-16 experience at Berlin recently.&nbsp;

Serena Williams, seeded seventh this year, will proceed with her mission for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title with a first-round match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Williams could then meet Angelique Kerber, who beat her in 2018 last, in the third round, and Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in the last eight.&nbsp;

Ashleigh Barty and Serena Williams are in a similar half and could go head to head in the elimination rounds.&nbsp;

In other first-round women's singles matches, two times Wimbledon victor Petra Kvitova takes on previous US Open hero Sloane Stephens, and recently delegated French Open boss Barbora Krejcikova faces Denmark's rising star Clara Tauson.&nbsp;

In the interim, five-time Wimbledon singles champion Venus Williams, additionally a trump card participant this year, will take on Mihaela Buzarnescu in the first round.

Wimbledon returns this year after following a two-year rest attributable in 2020 because of the pandemic, and it's practically similar to we're getting re-familiar with a tragically missing companion.

Wimbledon returns this year after following a two-year rest attributable in 2020 because of the pandemic, and it's practically similar to we're getting re-familiar with a tragically missing companion. Reigning champ Novak Djokovic and record eight-time victor Roger Federer have been set in inverse parts of the draw. The 2021 Wimbledon Championships is the 134th version of the lofty grass-court Grand Slam. The most recent portion of the competition will run from June 28 to July 11. Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka obviously didn't track down that re-associate excessively critical, as the two of them chose to avoid the occasion for individual reasons. Dominic Thiem is also sitting out because of injury-related issues while reigning champ Simona Halep is missing because she isn't match-fit at this point. However, in any case, the Wimbledon men's draw has two out of the three greatest men's stars - Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer - just as a greater part of the Next-gen and Next-cutting edge stars. ALSO READ: Tennis: Novak Djokovic to play teenager Jack Draper as Wimbledon returns Men's Singles - Novak Djokovic is the men's singles favourite this year too. Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, Roger Federer, and Matteo Berrettini complete the best eight seedings. Women's Singles - Ashleigh Barty keeps on holding the top seeding in the ladies' division. The main eight additionally incorporate Simona Halep, Aryna Sabalenka, Elina Svitolina, Sofia Kenin, Bianca Andreescu, Serena Williams, and Iga Swiatek. Men's Draws World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will take on Britain's Jack Draper in the first round. Roger Federer will dispatch his bid for the 21st Slam against France's Adrian Mannarino. The Swiss could meet Pablo Carreno Busta in the fourth round before a potential quarterfinal conflict against second seed Daniil Medvedev. Daniil Medvedev, looking for his first Slam, faces Jan-Lennard Struff in the opening round. The Russian could meet previous US Open boss Marin Cilic in the third round and possibly Hubert Hurkacz in the fourth. Third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas opens against American Frances Tiafoe and could confront Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarterfinals, while fourth seed Alexander Zverev is projected to take on Matteo Berrettini in the last eight. Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, a special case contestant this time, will bolt horns with 24th seed Nikoloz Basilashvili in the first round and could meet Canada's Denis Shapovalov in the third round. Women's Draws On the women's side, favourite Ashleigh Barty will start her journey for a first Wimbledon singles title against Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro. Ashleigh Barty could meet previous US Open hero Bianca Andreescu in the quarterfinals. Bianca Andreescu opens her mission against Alize Cornet in a rematch of their last-16 experience at Berlin recently. Serena Williams, seeded seventh this year, will proceed with her mission for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title with a first-round match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Williams could then meet Angelique Kerber, who beat her in 2018 last, in the third round, and Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in the last eight. Ashleigh Barty and Serena Williams are in a similar half and could go head to head in the elimination rounds. In other first-round women's singles matches, two times Wimbledon victor Petra Kvitova takes on previous US Open hero Sloane Stephens, and recently delegated French Open boss Barbora Krejcikova faces Denmark's rising star Clara Tauson. In the interim, five-time Wimbledon singles champion Venus Williams, additionally a trump card participant this year, will take on Mihaela Buzarnescu in the first round.

Tennis: All you need to know Wimbledon 2021 men's and women's singles draws

All the men`s Big Three moved on at the French Open on Thursday as top seed Novak Djokovic and defending champion Rafael Nadal both claimed straight-set wins while Swiss great Roger Federer dropped one set but went through Marrin Cilic`s test to advance.

Third seed Nadal delivered a clinical performance against local player Richard Gasquet to celebrate his 35th birthday with a 6-0, 7-5, 6-2 win.

"I respect (him because) I know how good Richard is," Nadal said.

"I know he`s coming back after a tough period of time. I think he played smart, played aggressive. I just went on court with highest respect, with the highest focus possible, and that`s what I try to do every day against everyone."

Nadal improved his overwhelming record against Gasquet to 17-0, which is one of the most lopsided head-to-heads in Open Era history.

The King of Clay will next face Brit Cameron Norrie, who came from one set down to defeat South Africa`s Lloyd Harris in an earlier match. As Nadal is aiming to win his 21st Grand Slam title to break the tie with Federer and take sole ownership of the all-time record for most Grand Slam men`s singles titles, his arch-rival also had the same goal.

Eighth-seeded Federer held his nerve in a tough four-setter to dispatch former U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 to reach the third round.

"I feel like I surprised myself a little bit. I didn`t expect myself to play that well or to have the energy left at the end like this and being able to keep on serving so consistently at the end was great," said the 39-year-old Federer, who is the eldest men`s singles player in the main draw at Roland Garros.

World No.1 Djokovic secured a comfortable victory 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in his first career meeting with Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas to clinch a last 32 spot in Paris for a 16th consecutive year.

The Serbian, bidding for a second clay-court major title and 19th in total, was drawn in the same half with Nadal and Federer, which means only one of the Big Three could make it into the final.

On the women`s side, top seed and 2019 Roland Garros champion Ashleigh Barty was forced to retire during her second-round match against Magda Linett. The Australian World No.1 was unable to continue playing due to a left hip injury when trailed by 6-1, 2-2 in the match with Linett.

"It`s heartbreaking. I mean, we have had such a brilliant clay-court season, and to kind of get a little bit unlucky with timing more than anything to have something kind of acute happen over the weekend and just kind of run out of time against the clock is disappointing," said the 25-year-old, who arrived in Paris in good form with a title in Stuttgart and a final-appearance in Madrid.

Karolina Pliskova was the other high-ranked seed player who suffered a second-round exit on Thursday, as the ninth seed was defeated by former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens in straight sets 7-5, 6-1 in just an hour and a half.&nbsp;

All the men`s Big Three moved on at the French Open on Thursday as top seed Novak Djokovic and defending champion Rafael Nadal both claimed straight-set wins while Swiss great Roger Federer dropped one set but went through Marrin Cilic`s test to advance.

All the men`s Big Three moved on at the French Open on Thursday as top seed Novak Djokovic and defending champion Rafael Nadal both claimed straight-set wins while Swiss great Roger Federer dropped one set but went through Marrin Cilic`s test to advance. Third seed Nadal delivered a clinical performance against local player Richard Gasquet to celebrate his 35th birthday with a 6-0, 7-5, 6-2 win. "I respect (him because) I know how good Richard is," Nadal said. "I know he`s coming back after a tough period of time. I think he played smart, played aggressive. I just went on court with highest respect, with the highest focus possible, and that`s what I try to do every day against everyone." Nadal improved his overwhelming record against Gasquet to 17-0, which is one of the most lopsided head-to-heads in Open Era history. The King of Clay will next face Brit Cameron Norrie, who came from one set down to defeat South Africa`s Lloyd Harris in an earlier match. As Nadal is aiming to win his 21st Grand Slam title to break the tie with Federer and take sole ownership of the all-time record for most Grand Slam men`s singles titles, his arch-rival also had the same goal. Eighth-seeded Federer held his nerve in a tough four-setter to dispatch former U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 to reach the third round. "I feel like I surprised myself a little bit. I didn`t expect myself to play that well or to have the energy left at the end like this and being able to keep on serving so consistently at the end was great," said the 39-year-old Federer, who is the eldest men`s singles player in the main draw at Roland Garros. World No.1 Djokovic secured a comfortable victory 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in his first career meeting with Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas to clinch a last 32 spot in Paris for a 16th consecutive year. The Serbian, bidding for a second clay-court major title and 19th in total, was drawn in the same half with Nadal and Federer, which means only one of the Big Three could make it into the final. On the women`s side, top seed and 2019 Roland Garros champion Ashleigh Barty was forced to retire during her second-round match against Magda Linett. The Australian World No.1 was unable to continue playing due to a left hip injury when trailed by 6-1, 2-2 in the match with Linett. "It`s heartbreaking. I mean, we have had such a brilliant clay-court season, and to kind of get a little bit unlucky with timing more than anything to have something kind of acute happen over the weekend and just kind of run out of time against the clock is disappointing," said the 25-year-old, who arrived in Paris in good form with a title in Stuttgart and a final-appearance in Madrid. Karolina Pliskova was the other high-ranked seed player who suffered a second-round exit on Thursday, as the ninth seed was defeated by former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens in straight sets 7-5, 6-1 in just an hour and a half.

French Open: Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic progress, Barty retires with injury

World number one and former champion Ashleigh Barty limped out of Roland Garros on Thursday, throwing the battle for the women's title wide open as Rafael Nadal prepared to celebrate his 35th birthday inside an empty stadium.

Top seed Barty, already suffering from a left hip injury, retired injured midway through the second set of her second-round match against Poland's 45th-ranked Magda Linette.

The Australian, who won the title on her last visit to Roland Garros in 2019, left the court for medical treatment after losing the first set 6-1.

She then called it quits at 2-2 in the second set on Court Philippe Chatrier.

"It's heartbreaking," Barty said. "It's a miracle I got past the first round."

"We did absolutely everything we could to give myself a chance. It sucks."

The 25-year-old's withdrawal leaves the tournament already without the world's top three-ranked women's players.

World number two Naomi Osaka pulled out following a media boycott, saying she has suffered "bouts of depression" for three years.

Third-ranked Simona Halep, the 2018 French Open winner, withdrew before the event with injury.

That leaves world number four Aryna Sabalenka as the top remaining player in the draw.

Linette goes on to face Ons Jabeur, the Tunisian 25th seed who eased past Australian wild card Astra Sharma 6-2, 6-4.

Fourth seed Sofia Kenin, the 2020 runner-up, saw off American compatriot Hailey Baptiste 7-5, 6-3.

Three-time quarter-finalist and fifth seed Elina Svitolina was similarly untroubled against Ann Li of the United States, winning 6-0, 6-4.

However, ninth seed Karolina Pliskova exited at the hands of 2018 runner-up Sloane Stephens as the 59th-ranked American won 7-5, 6-1.

&nbsp;

<h2>- Nadal dominant -</h2>

&nbsp;

World number three Nadal, bidding for a 14th French Open and record-setting 21st Grand Slam title, faces Richard Gasquet, a player he first met when they were 12 years old.

However, schedulers have handed the Spaniard the evening session, leaving his 35th birthday party celebrations a little flat as the match clashes with a 9pm Covid-19 curfew and a spectator ban.

Gasquet won his first junior clash against Nadal at the Petits As tournament in France in 1999.

Sadly for him, that was as good as it would ever get.

On the ATP Tour, Nadal has monopolised their head-to-head and leads 16-0.

"I don't have many French Opens left to play so I want to make the most of it," said Gasquet who made his debut at the tournament back in 2002.

Gael Monfils' 6-0, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 defeat by Mikel Ymer of Sweden means Gasquet would have to beat Nadal to avoid the hosts suffering their worst year in men's singles since 1968.

Roger Federer, also the winner of 20 Slams, renews his rivalry with Marin Cilic.

The Swiss star leads their head-to-head 9-1 with Cilic's only win coming in the semi-finals of the 2014 US Open when he went on to claim his only Grand Slam title.

Federer, the 2009 champion in Paris, made the second round with a straight sets win against Uzbek qualifier Denis Istomin.

It was just his second win in 2021 and first at a major since losing to Novak Djokovic in the 2020 Australian Open semi-finals.

Top seed and world number one Djokovic is also in a battle of the over 30s as he faces Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas.

Djokovic, the 2016 champion, is bidding to become the first man in more than half a century to win all four Slams more than once.

<h2>- Alcaraz record -</h2>

At the other end of the spectrum is 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz who on Monday became the youngest player to win a match at Roland Garros since Djokovic in 2005.

If the Spaniard beats 28th seed Nikoloz Basilashvili, he will be the youngest man to reach the French Open last 32 since Andrei Medvedev in 1992.

Two Italian teens made it through with 18th seeded Jannik Sinner seeing off compatriot Gianluca Mager while highly-rated Lorenzo Musetti put out Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka.

Defending women's champion Iga Swiatek takes on Sweden's Rebecca Peterson.

Swiatek has hit with Nadal this week, a meeting which made her so nervous that the Pole prepared a list of helpful conversation starters should she get tongue-tied.

World number one and former champion Ashleigh Barty limped out of Roland Garros on Thursday, throwing the battle for the women's title wide open as Rafael Nadal prepared to celebrate his 35th birthday inside an empty stadium.

World number one and former champion Ashleigh Barty limped out of Roland Garros on Thursday, throwing the battle for the women's title wide open as Rafael Nadal prepared to celebrate his 35th birthday inside an empty stadium. Top seed Barty, already suffering from a left hip injury, retired injured midway through the second set of her second-round match against Poland's 45th-ranked Magda Linette. The Australian, who won the title on her last visit to Roland Garros in 2019, left the court for medical treatment after losing the first set 6-1. She then called it quits at 2-2 in the second set on Court Philippe Chatrier. "It's heartbreaking," Barty said. "It's a miracle I got past the first round." "We did absolutely everything we could to give myself a chance. It sucks." The 25-year-old's withdrawal leaves the tournament already without the world's top three-ranked women's players. World number two Naomi Osaka pulled out following a media boycott, saying she has suffered "bouts of depression" for three years. Third-ranked Simona Halep, the 2018 French Open winner, withdrew before the event with injury. That leaves world number four Aryna Sabalenka as the top remaining player in the draw. Linette goes on to face Ons Jabeur, the Tunisian 25th seed who eased past Australian wild card Astra Sharma 6-2, 6-4. Fourth seed Sofia Kenin, the 2020 runner-up, saw off American compatriot Hailey Baptiste 7-5, 6-3. Three-time quarter-finalist and fifth seed Elina Svitolina was similarly untroubled against Ann Li of the United States, winning 6-0, 6-4. However, ninth seed Karolina Pliskova exited at the hands of 2018 runner-up Sloane Stephens as the 59th-ranked American won 7-5, 6-1. - Nadal dominant - World number three Nadal, bidding for a 14th French Open and record-setting 21st Grand Slam title, faces Richard Gasquet, a player he first met when they were 12 years old. However, schedulers have handed the Spaniard the evening session, leaving his 35th birthday party celebrations a little flat as the match clashes with a 9pm Covid-19 curfew and a spectator ban. Gasquet won his first junior clash against Nadal at the Petits As tournament in France in 1999. Sadly for him, that was as good as it would ever get. On the ATP Tour, Nadal has monopolised their head-to-head and leads 16-0. "I don't have many French Opens left to play so I want to make the most of it," said Gasquet who made his debut at the tournament back in 2002. Gael Monfils' 6-0, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 defeat by Mikel Ymer of Sweden means Gasquet would have to beat Nadal to avoid the hosts suffering their worst year in men's singles since 1968. Roger Federer, also the winner of 20 Slams, renews his rivalry with Marin Cilic. The Swiss star leads their head-to-head 9-1 with Cilic's only win coming in the semi-finals of the 2014 US Open when he went on to claim his only Grand Slam title. Federer, the 2009 champion in Paris, made the second round with a straight sets win against Uzbek qualifier Denis Istomin. It was just his second win in 2021 and first at a major since losing to Novak Djokovic in the 2020 Australian Open semi-finals. Top seed and world number one Djokovic is also in a battle of the over 30s as he faces Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas. Djokovic, the 2016 champion, is bidding to become the first man in more than half a century to win all four Slams more than once. - Alcaraz record - At the other end of the spectrum is 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz who on Monday became the youngest player to win a match at Roland Garros since Djokovic in 2005. If the Spaniard beats 28th seed Nikoloz Basilashvili, he will be the youngest man to reach the French Open last 32 since Andrei Medvedev in 1992. Two Italian teens made it through with 18th seeded Jannik Sinner seeing off compatriot Gianluca Mager while highly-rated Lorenzo Musetti put out Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka. Defending women's champion Iga Swiatek takes on Sweden's Rebecca Peterson. Swiatek has hit with Nadal this week, a meeting which made her so nervous that the Pole prepared a list of helpful conversation starters should she get tongue-tied.

Tennis: Barty limps out of French Open as Nadal set for lonely 35th birthday

World number one Novak Djokovic on Tuesday hailed Naomi Osaka as "brave and bold" for withdrawing from the French Open after revealing her struggles with depression and anxiety.

"I support her. I think she was very brave to do that. I'm really sorry that she is going through painful times and suffering mentally, is what I have heard," said Djokovic after reaching the second round of the tournament.

"This was, I must say, a very bold decision from her side.&nbsp;

"If she needs to take time and reflect and just recharge that's what she needed to do, and I respect it fully. I hope that she'll come back stronger."

World number two and four-time major winner Osaka pulled out on Monday after she was fined $15,000 and threatened with disqualification for refusing to attend press conferences.

Osaka claimed traditional post-match media conferences are akin to "kicking people when they're down" and were having a detrimental effect on her mental health.

She revealed she had been suffering bouts of depression since her 2018 US Open title breakthrough as well as anxiety attacks.

"There's a sense of voyeurism around how it presently works," wrote Peter Terry, a professor of psychology at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia on theconversation.com.

"Osaka is a young, introverted, anxious person. We should by now understand that sports stars are not super human, that they have the same doubts and mental health issues as everyone else."

Djokovic kicked off his campaign for a 19th Grand Slam title with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 win over Tennys Sandgren inside an empty stadium.

Rafael Nadal, the 13-time champion and chasing a record-setting 21st major, defeated Alexei Popyrin of Australia 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3).

The Spaniard now has 101 wins against just two losses at the tournament.

Djokovic saw off world number 66 Sandgren in straight sets for his fourth win in four meetings with the American.

However, a French government Covid-19 curfew of 9pm meant that his evening session match at the 15,000-capacity Court Philippe Chatrier was played out to rows of empty seats.

"It was strange, honestly, but I'm also honoured to be the first men's match, night session, in the history of this tournament," said Djokovic.

Top seed Djokovic, the champion in Paris in 2016, is attempting to become the first man in more than 50 years to win all four Slams multiple times.

The Serb fired 33 winners and broke serve five times as he set up a clash with Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay for a place in the last 32.

Nadal has now won 26 sets in a row at the tournament.

<h2>- 'Lucky to win' -</h2>

"I was lucky to win that third set, I don't know how (I did). The beginning of the match had been very tough too," said Nadal, who was 2-5 down in the third set, saving two set points.

Up next is fellow 34-year-old Richard Gasquet.

The pair first played one another when they were children.&nbsp;As professionals, Nadal leads 16-0.

Djokovic and Nadal are seeded to meet in the semi-finals.

One dangerman for Nadal and Djokovic was removed from the draw when seventh seed Andrey Rublev lost 6-3, 7-6 (8/6), 4-6, 3-6, 6-4 to Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff.

In-form Russian Rublev had defeated Nadal en route to the Monte Carlo Masters final.

Rublev joins fourth seed and two-time runner-up Dominic Thiem in falling at the first hurdle.

<h2>- Barty not 100% -</h2>

World number one Ashleigh Barty marked her return to Paris for the first time since her 2019 title triumph by beating American left-hander Bernarda Pera 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 but admitted she was fighting a hip problem.

"I'm not going to hide behind the fact I'm not quite 100%," said the 25-year-old.

Italian 37-year-old Andreas Seppi, playing in his 63rd successive Grand Slam, stunned 20th seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 7-6 (10/8), 4-6, 6-4.

Venus Williams, playing the tournament for the 24th time and a runner-up 19 years ago, saw her 89th Grand Slam end as Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova eased to a 6-3, 6-1 win.

Carla Suarez Navarro came close to winning her first match back after recovering from cancer, but bowed out 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 at the hands of Sloane Stephens.

Tuesday was a miserable day for home hopes as only three of 18 French men made the second round, the country's worst performance since the dawn of the Open era in 1968.

Ironically, a Roland Garros press conference led to the injury-enforced withdrawal of two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova who pulled out after hurting her ankle after finishing her media commitments.

World number one Novak Djokovic on Tuesday hailed Naomi Osaka as "brave and bold" for withdrawing from the French Open after revealing her struggles with depression and anxiety.

World number one Novak Djokovic on Tuesday hailed Naomi Osaka as "brave and bold" for withdrawing from the French Open after revealing her struggles with depression and anxiety. "I support her. I think she was very brave to do that. I'm really sorry that she is going through painful times and suffering mentally, is what I have heard," said Djokovic after reaching the second round of the tournament. "This was, I must say, a very bold decision from her side. "If she needs to take time and reflect and just recharge that's what she needed to do, and I respect it fully. I hope that she'll come back stronger." World number two and four-time major winner Osaka pulled out on Monday after she was fined $15,000 and threatened with disqualification for refusing to attend press conferences. Osaka claimed traditional post-match media conferences are akin to "kicking people when they're down" and were having a detrimental effect on her mental health. She revealed she had been suffering bouts of depression since her 2018 US Open title breakthrough as well as anxiety attacks. "There's a sense of voyeurism around how it presently works," wrote Peter Terry, a professor of psychology at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia on theconversation.com. "Osaka is a young, introverted, anxious person. We should by now understand that sports stars are not super human, that they have the same doubts and mental health issues as everyone else." Djokovic kicked off his campaign for a 19th Grand Slam title with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 win over Tennys Sandgren inside an empty stadium. Rafael Nadal, the 13-time champion and chasing a record-setting 21st major, defeated Alexei Popyrin of Australia 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3). The Spaniard now has 101 wins against just two losses at the tournament. Djokovic saw off world number 66 Sandgren in straight sets for his fourth win in four meetings with the American. However, a French government Covid-19 curfew of 9pm meant that his evening session match at the 15,000-capacity Court Philippe Chatrier was played out to rows of empty seats. "It was strange, honestly, but I'm also honoured to be the first men's match, night session, in the history of this tournament," said Djokovic. Top seed Djokovic, the champion in Paris in 2016, is attempting to become the first man in more than 50 years to win all four Slams multiple times. The Serb fired 33 winners and broke serve five times as he set up a clash with Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay for a place in the last 32. Nadal has now won 26 sets in a row at the tournament. - 'Lucky to win' - "I was lucky to win that third set, I don't know how (I did). The beginning of the match had been very tough too," said Nadal, who was 2-5 down in the third set, saving two set points. Up next is fellow 34-year-old Richard Gasquet. The pair first played one another when they were children. As professionals, Nadal leads 16-0. Djokovic and Nadal are seeded to meet in the semi-finals. One dangerman for Nadal and Djokovic was removed from the draw when seventh seed Andrey Rublev lost 6-3, 7-6 (8/6), 4-6, 3-6, 6-4 to Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff. In-form Russian Rublev had defeated Nadal en route to the Monte Carlo Masters final. Rublev joins fourth seed and two-time runner-up Dominic Thiem in falling at the first hurdle. - Barty not 100% - World number one Ashleigh Barty marked her return to Paris for the first time since her 2019 title triumph by beating American left-hander Bernarda Pera 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 but admitted she was fighting a hip problem. "I'm not going to hide behind the fact I'm not quite 100%," said the 25-year-old. Italian 37-year-old Andreas Seppi, playing in his 63rd successive Grand Slam, stunned 20th seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 7-6 (10/8), 4-6, 6-4. Venus Williams, playing the tournament for the 24th time and a runner-up 19 years ago, saw her 89th Grand Slam end as Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova eased to a 6-3, 6-1 win. Carla Suarez Navarro came close to winning her first match back after recovering from cancer, but bowed out 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 at the hands of Sloane Stephens. Tuesday was a miserable day for home hopes as only three of 18 French men made the second round, the country's worst performance since the dawn of the Open era in 1968. Ironically, a Roland Garros press conference led to the injury-enforced withdrawal of two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova who pulled out after hurting her ankle after finishing her media commitments.

Tennis: Djokovic hails 'bold, brave' Osaka as Nadal, Barty cruise at French Open

As former champion Ashleigh Barty prepares for Roland Garros on May 30, the Australian brushed off any regrets about missing the French Open last year.

She won her only major singles title in Paris in 2019 but after the 2020 event was postponed to September/October she chose not to attend due to issues related to the pandemic.

"It's a long time since I've played at the French Open," she said in Stuttgart on Monday, ahead of her first match on European clay in almost two years.&nbsp;

In her absence the 2020 women's Roland Garros title was won by Iga Swiatek.&nbsp;

The Polish teenager burst onto the tennis scene when she claimed the French crown, defeating then world number six Sofia Kenin in the final.

But Barty said 2021 would be an all round reset.

"It's a fresh start, a fresh start for everyone at that event."

She made clear that her approach was also practical.&nbsp;

"It's a fresh tournament, and it's a new opportunity."

The 24-year-old Barty and American Jennifer Brady crushed American pair Kaitlyn Christian and Sabrina Santamaria 6-3, 6-1 in the Stuttgart doubles round of 16 on Monday.

Barty received a bye to the singles second round, where she will face one of two Germans, either Laura Siegemund or Mona Barthel.

After Stuttgart she plans to play on clay in Madrid and Rome before Roland Garros.

She opened her clay-court season by reaching the quarterfinals in Charleston, South Carolina, at the start of the month.

Even though she skipped much of last season, she is ranked No. 1 in the world and won the hard-court Miami Open which preceded Charleston, but she was cagey about her form.

"From the outside it's judged on results, which can be accurate," she said.&nbsp;

"There have been times I've felt I've been in great form but haven't been winning matches and vice versa. Other ones when I haven't been able to find anything close to the middle of the racket but you find a way through matches."

"It's important not to be completely results driven when you're thinking of your form."

Roland Garros is starting a week later than originally scheduled.

"It's cut into a week of the grass-court season which is very short already," Barty said.

"I don't think a week preparing into Wimbledon will make a huge difference to those in the main draw."

Barty, who is from Queensland, took a break last year to avoid travelling during the pandemic.

She has in the past talked of homesickness, and moving between north American and European due to the season is keeping her far from home.

"Part and parcel of travelling is being comfortable away from home or as comfortable as you can be," she said.&nbsp;

"Obviously I'm a homebody. I love being at home with my family," she said, adding that she tries to speak to them as much as possible.

"Technology is a wonderful thing," she said.

"I love what I do. I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to do what I love in the current situation in the world."

As former champion Ashleigh Barty prepares for Roland Garros on May 30, the Australian brushed off any regrets about missing the French Open last year. She won her only major singles title in Paris in 2019 but after the 2020 event was postponed to September/October she chose not to attend due to issues related to the pandemic.

As former champion Ashleigh Barty prepares for Roland Garros on May 30, the Australian brushed off any regrets about missing the French Open last year. She won her only major singles title in Paris in 2019 but after the 2020 event was postponed to September/October she chose not to attend due to issues related to the pandemic. "It's a long time since I've played at the French Open," she said in Stuttgart on Monday, ahead of her first match on European clay in almost two years. In her absence the 2020 women's Roland Garros title was won by Iga Swiatek. The Polish teenager burst onto the tennis scene when she claimed the French crown, defeating then world number six Sofia Kenin in the final. But Barty said 2021 would be an all round reset. "It's a fresh start, a fresh start for everyone at that event." She made clear that her approach was also practical. "It's a fresh tournament, and it's a new opportunity." The 24-year-old Barty and American Jennifer Brady crushed American pair Kaitlyn Christian and Sabrina Santamaria 6-3, 6-1 in the Stuttgart doubles round of 16 on Monday. Barty received a bye to the singles second round, where she will face one of two Germans, either Laura Siegemund or Mona Barthel. After Stuttgart she plans to play on clay in Madrid and Rome before Roland Garros. She opened her clay-court season by reaching the quarterfinals in Charleston, South Carolina, at the start of the month. Even though she skipped much of last season, she is ranked No. 1 in the world and won the hard-court Miami Open which preceded Charleston, but she was cagey about her form. "From the outside it's judged on results, which can be accurate," she said. "There have been times I've felt I've been in great form but haven't been winning matches and vice versa. Other ones when I haven't been able to find anything close to the middle of the racket but you find a way through matches." "It's important not to be completely results driven when you're thinking of your form." Roland Garros is starting a week later than originally scheduled. "It's cut into a week of the grass-court season which is very short already," Barty said. "I don't think a week preparing into Wimbledon will make a huge difference to those in the main draw." Barty, who is from Queensland, took a break last year to avoid travelling during the pandemic. She has in the past talked of homesickness, and moving between north American and European due to the season is keeping her far from home. "Part and parcel of travelling is being comfortable away from home or as comfortable as you can be," she said. "Obviously I'm a homebody. I love being at home with my family," she said, adding that she tries to speak to them as much as possible. "Technology is a wonderful thing," she said. "I love what I do. I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to do what I love in the current situation in the world."

Barty sees Roland Garros return as a 'fresh start'

Reigning US and Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka advanced to the Miami Open quarter-finals on Monday, stretching her win streak to 23 matches by defeating Belgian 16th seed Elise Mertens 6-3, 6-3.

The second-ranked Japanese star will next face Greek 23rd seed Maria Sakkari, who outlasted US 29th seed Jessica Pegula 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (8/6) at the WTA and ATP Masters Series event.

"I started off really well and then for some reason I became a little sluggish. My speed didn't really feel the same," Osaka said.

"I thought it was really mental from then on. In the end, it was who fought the hardest."

Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka broke at love for a 2-0 lead and broke again for a 5-1 edge but Mertens broke Osaka at love in the seventh game and denied four set points for Osaka to hold in an eighth game that lasted almost 10 minutes.

Osaka, seeking her first Miami crown, saved a break point with her third ace and finally finished off the first set on her seventh chance with a service winner.

In the second set, Osaka needed her fifth chance of the third game to break Mertens, only for the Belgian to quickly break back to 2-2 and hold to 3-2 before requiring treatment for a right shoulder injury.

Osaka won the last four games after that, breaking at love in the seventh game, holding at love in the eighth and breaking again to end matters after 88 minutes when Mertens netted a forehand.

Top-ranked defending champion Ashleigh Barty battled into the quarter-finals by outlasting former world number one Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 1-6, 6-2.

Australia's Barty broke five times, the last when Azarenka netted a forehand volley to end matters after one hour and 52 minutes at Hard Rock Stadium.

Barty, who had to save a match point on the way to a three-set victory over Kristina Kucova in the second round, plays Tuesday against seventh seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, who downed Czech 19th seed Marketa Vondrousova 6-1, 6-2.

"I'm just excited I get to be in another quarter-final of a big event," Barty said.

"I still feel like there's a lot better tennis left out there for me. I still don't feel like I'm playing my very best just yet, but I'm fighting through and I'm finding ways to win, which is great."

The 2019 French Open winner dominated the first set but Azarenka broke for a 2-0 lead in the second, then fought back from 0-40 down to hold for 3-0 on the way to forcing a third set.

After an early exchange of breaks, &nbsp;Azarenka denied Barty on two break chances in the fourth game but the 24-year-old Queenslander broke in the sixth game and again on the last point.

"First two sets probably had some pretty big momentum swings," Barty said. "But I think the third set was a real tussle."

Ukraine's fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina rallied to defeat Czech ninth seed Petra Kvitova 2-6, 7-5, 7-5.

"I'm really happy with how I bounced back from being a set down," Svitolina said. "I'm happy with how I'm playing and handling the pressure. I had to bring my best game to win."

Svitolina's quarter-final foe will be Latvia's 57th-ranked Anastasija Sevastova, who eliminated Croatia's 338th-ranked Ana Konjuh 6-1, 7-5.

<h2>- Tsitsipas, Rublev win -</h2>

On the men's side,&nbsp;Greek second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Japanese 28th seed Kei Nishikori 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 after an hour and 56 minutes to reach the last 16.

Tsitsipas will next face Italian 24th seed Lorenzo Sonego, who dispatched Colombian Daniel Galan 7-6 (8/6), 6-3.

Russian fourth seed Andrey Rublev routed Hungarian 29th seed Marton Fucsovics 6-2, 6-1, to reach the fourth round.

"I've played some great tennis last couple of months," Rublev said. "We'll see if I can keep going."

The 23-year-old from Moscow will next face Croatia's 32-year-old Marin Cilic, the world number 45 who beat Italy's 19-year-old Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-4.

"Very pleased," Cilic said. "Just have to battle it out with these youngsters. I've got to keep the heads high for the veterans on the tour."

Reigning US and Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka advanced to the Miami Open quarter-finals on Monday, stretching her win streak to 23 matches by defeating Belgian 16th seed Elise Mertens 6-3, 6-3.

Reigning US and Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka advanced to the Miami Open quarter-finals on Monday, stretching her win streak to 23 matches by defeating Belgian 16th seed Elise Mertens 6-3, 6-3. The second-ranked Japanese star will next face Greek 23rd seed Maria Sakkari, who outlasted US 29th seed Jessica Pegula 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (8/6) at the WTA and ATP Masters Series event. "I started off really well and then for some reason I became a little sluggish. My speed didn't really feel the same," Osaka said. "I thought it was really mental from then on. In the end, it was who fought the hardest." Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka broke at love for a 2-0 lead and broke again for a 5-1 edge but Mertens broke Osaka at love in the seventh game and denied four set points for Osaka to hold in an eighth game that lasted almost 10 minutes. Osaka, seeking her first Miami crown, saved a break point with her third ace and finally finished off the first set on her seventh chance with a service winner. In the second set, Osaka needed her fifth chance of the third game to break Mertens, only for the Belgian to quickly break back to 2-2 and hold to 3-2 before requiring treatment for a right shoulder injury. Osaka won the last four games after that, breaking at love in the seventh game, holding at love in the eighth and breaking again to end matters after 88 minutes when Mertens netted a forehand. Top-ranked defending champion Ashleigh Barty battled into the quarter-finals by outlasting former world number one Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 1-6, 6-2. Australia's Barty broke five times, the last when Azarenka netted a forehand volley to end matters after one hour and 52 minutes at Hard Rock Stadium. Barty, who had to save a match point on the way to a three-set victory over Kristina Kucova in the second round, plays Tuesday against seventh seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, who downed Czech 19th seed Marketa Vondrousova 6-1, 6-2. "I'm just excited I get to be in another quarter-final of a big event," Barty said. "I still feel like there's a lot better tennis left out there for me. I still don't feel like I'm playing my very best just yet, but I'm fighting through and I'm finding ways to win, which is great." The 2019 French Open winner dominated the first set but Azarenka broke for a 2-0 lead in the second, then fought back from 0-40 down to hold for 3-0 on the way to forcing a third set. After an early exchange of breaks, Azarenka denied Barty on two break chances in the fourth game but the 24-year-old Queenslander broke in the sixth game and again on the last point. "First two sets probably had some pretty big momentum swings," Barty said. "But I think the third set was a real tussle." Ukraine's fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina rallied to defeat Czech ninth seed Petra Kvitova 2-6, 7-5, 7-5. "I'm really happy with how I bounced back from being a set down," Svitolina said. "I'm happy with how I'm playing and handling the pressure. I had to bring my best game to win." Svitolina's quarter-final foe will be Latvia's 57th-ranked Anastasija Sevastova, who eliminated Croatia's 338th-ranked Ana Konjuh 6-1, 7-5. - Tsitsipas, Rublev win - On the men's side, Greek second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Japanese 28th seed Kei Nishikori 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 after an hour and 56 minutes to reach the last 16. Tsitsipas will next face Italian 24th seed Lorenzo Sonego, who dispatched Colombian Daniel Galan 7-6 (8/6), 6-3. Russian fourth seed Andrey Rublev routed Hungarian 29th seed Marton Fucsovics 6-2, 6-1, to reach the fourth round. "I've played some great tennis last couple of months," Rublev said. "We'll see if I can keep going." The 23-year-old from Moscow will next face Croatia's 32-year-old Marin Cilic, the world number 45 who beat Italy's 19-year-old Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-4. "Very pleased," Cilic said. "Just have to battle it out with these youngsters. I've got to keep the heads high for the veterans on the tour."

Osaka advances while Barty ousts Azarenka at Miami Open

Australian ace Ashleigh Barty clawed her way back at the Miami Open after staring down a match point against Kristina Kucova on Thursday. The World No. 1 defeated Kucova 6-3 4-6 7-5 victory in the Australian's first match outside her home country in more than a year.

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Barty was off to a great start, however, she lost the second set and was down to 5-2 in the third and was nearing an early exit in the Miami Open. However, the world number one bounced back and snatched a win at Hard Rock Stadium.

"My first bubble win," Barty said of the tournament, where a limited number of fans are allowed on the grounds.

"It is nice to be back on tour. It is nice to come back to a place here to Miami where we have had such good memories," said Barty, who won the event in 2019.

"It's a beautiful place to play tennis."

Barty enjoyed her match against Slovak's Kucova.&nbsp;

"Matches like that are extremely fulfilling," she said.

"Knowing that you have done the work over an extended period to get over the edge and get the result that you're after."

"No matter what the result, no matter what we're feeling, no matter the conditions, we just never give up," Barty said about her team.&nbsp;

The Aussie will be facing Grand Slam champion Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia on Saturday.

(Inputs from Reuters)

Australian ace Ashleigh Barty clawed her way back at the Miami Open after staring down a match point against Kristina Kucova on Thursday. The World No. 1 defeated Kucova 6-3 4-6 7-5 victory in the Australian's first match outside her home country in more than a year.

Australian ace Ashleigh Barty clawed her way back at the Miami Open after staring down a match point against Kristina Kucova on Thursday. The World No. 1 defeated Kucova 6-3 4-6 7-5 victory in the Australian's first match outside her home country in more than a year. ALSO READ: Olympics torch relay starts in Fukushima as North Korea launches missiles Barty was off to a great start, however, she lost the second set and was down to 5-2 in the third and was nearing an early exit in the Miami Open. However, the world number one bounced back and snatched a win at Hard Rock Stadium. "My first bubble win," Barty said of the tournament, where a limited number of fans are allowed on the grounds. "It is nice to be back on tour. It is nice to come back to a place here to Miami where we have had such good memories," said Barty, who won the event in 2019. "It's a beautiful place to play tennis." Barty enjoyed her match against Slovak's Kucova. "Matches like that are extremely fulfilling," she said. "Knowing that you have done the work over an extended period to get over the edge and get the result that you're after." "No matter what the result, no matter what we're feeling, no matter the conditions, we just never give up," Barty said about her team. The Aussie will be facing Grand Slam champion Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia on Saturday. (Inputs from Reuters)

'Never give up': Ash Barty claws back and beats Kristina Kucova at Miami Open

Ashleigh Barty said Thursday Karolina Muchova was within her rights to take a medical timeout that changed the course of their Australian Open quarter-final because her "head was spinning".

The Czech 25th seed looked finished after losing the opening set 6-1, but top seed Barty lost momentum following the near 10-minute break early in the second set as Muchova received medical attention.

A revitalised Muchova, who fought back on a hot day to snuff out hopes of first Australian champion for 43 years with a shock 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 win, said: "It was very tough and I was a bit lost on the court and my head was spinning so I took a break. It helped me."

Barty said it was not for her to pass judgement on her opponent's actions.

"When you call for the trainer, you obviously tell the umpire what the reason is," said the world number one.&nbsp;

"And then the doctor and physios come out and assess it. That's within the rules," said Barty.&nbsp;

"Obviously there are rules when we go off the court for whatever areas you're getting treated because that's quite normal.&nbsp;

"But that's not really my decision to make on whether or what her medical condition was or what the timeout was for."

Muchova, down 1-2 in the second set at the time, broke Barty immediately after the timeout then earned another to take the set.

"I was disappointed that I let that become a turning point," said Barty, who was bidding to become the first home winner since Chris O'Neil in 1978.

"I'm experienced anough now to be able to deal with that. I would have liked to have just been a little bit sharper the next game."&nbsp;

The Australian's error count began mounting as Muchova surged into her first ever Grand Slam semi-final.

"Probably pressed a little bit trying to be overly aggressive," she admitted.&nbsp;

Barty had enjoyed a great start to the season after not playing for almost 12 months because of coronavirus, winning a pre-Australian Open warm-up Yarra Valley Classic at Melbourne Park and not dropping a set in the first four rounds of the Australian Open.

"Yeah, it's heartbreaking, of course," she said.&nbsp;

"But will it deter me, will it ruin the fact we've had a really successful start to our season? Absolutely not."

Ashleigh Barty said Thursday Karolina Muchova was within her rights to take a medical timeout that changed the course of their Australian Open quarter-final because her "head was spinning".

Ashleigh Barty said Thursday Karolina Muchova was within her rights to take a medical timeout that changed the course of their Australian Open quarter-final because her "head was spinning". The Czech 25th seed looked finished after losing the opening set 6-1, but top seed Barty lost momentum following the near 10-minute break early in the second set as Muchova received medical attention. A revitalised Muchova, who fought back on a hot day to snuff out hopes of first Australian champion for 43 years with a shock 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 win, said: "It was very tough and I was a bit lost on the court and my head was spinning so I took a break. It helped me." Barty said it was not for her to pass judgement on her opponent's actions. "When you call for the trainer, you obviously tell the umpire what the reason is," said the world number one. "And then the doctor and physios come out and assess it. That's within the rules," said Barty. "Obviously there are rules when we go off the court for whatever areas you're getting treated because that's quite normal. "But that's not really my decision to make on whether or what her medical condition was or what the timeout was for." Muchova, down 1-2 in the second set at the time, broke Barty immediately after the timeout then earned another to take the set. "I was disappointed that I let that become a turning point," said Barty, who was bidding to become the first home winner since Chris O'Neil in 1978. "I'm experienced anough now to be able to deal with that. I would have liked to have just been a little bit sharper the next game." The Australian's error count began mounting as Muchova surged into her first ever Grand Slam semi-final. "Probably pressed a little bit trying to be overly aggressive," she admitted. Barty had enjoyed a great start to the season after not playing for almost 12 months because of coronavirus, winning a pre-Australian Open warm-up Yarra Valley Classic at Melbourne Park and not dropping a set in the first four rounds of the Australian Open. "Yeah, it's heartbreaking, of course," she said. "But will it deter me, will it ruin the fact we've had a really successful start to our season? Absolutely not."

'Within the rules': Shocked Barty says Muchova timeout not to blame

World number one Ashleigh Barty declared Monday she's "not done yet" after storming&nbsp;into the Australian Open quarter-finals to raise hopes of a first home winner in 43 years.

The Australian's&nbsp;defensive mastery flummoxed big-hitting Shelby Rogers in her 6-3, 6-4 victory in one hour and 11 minutes in the fourth round at a crowdless Rod Laver Arena.

Barty, who is aiming to become the first Australian champion since Chris O'Neil in 1978, plays 25th seed Karolina Muchova in the quarter-finals after the Czech beat 18th seed Elise Mertens 7-6 (7/5), 7-5.&nbsp;

The 24-year-old reached the quarter-final of her home Slam for the third straight year, but remained unsatisfied.&nbsp;

"We're not done yet," Barty said when asked how she felt about reaching the final eight.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"If we had looked at the way we were preparing during our pre-season, to have the start that we have had so far is really encouraging, but certainly not satisfied with where we're at the moment.

"We will keep chipping away and keep trying to do the right things to progress as far as we can."

Australian expectations are rising for&nbsp;Barty, whose side of the draw has opened up with the early exits of defending champion Sofia Kenin, world number five Elina Svitolina and world number six Karolina Pliskova.&nbsp;

American Jennifer Brady is the next highest seed in Barty's bracket at 22.&nbsp;

She, however, was wary of 24-year-old Muchova, who made an impression on her during their third round clash at the 2018 US Open which Barty won in straight sets.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"I remember that match in New York, coming off the court and saying to (coach Craig Tyzzer)...'Karolina, she can play, she's a hell of a player'," she said of her sole match against Muchova.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"I know she's got the ability to manoeuvre the ball all around the court, play with variety, play with shape."

The 2019 French Open champion, having not played last year after February due to the pandemic, is rounding into peak form and successfully became the "aggressor" against Rogers, who she nearly lost to last week in the Yarra Valley Classic quarter-finals.

Barty, who has been carrying a niggle to her heavily strapped left thigh, moved smoothly and counter-attacked superbly to thwart the in-form American.

"It was important for me to serve well and try and bring it on my terms as often as possible," she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"I think I have learnt a lot about myself over the past 12 months.

"I'm just extremely grateful that I've got another opportunity to do something that I love... on the biggest stage for us as Aussies playing tennis."

World number one Ashleigh Barty declared Monday she's "not done yet" after storming into the Australian Open quarter-finals to raise hopes of a first home winner in 43 years.

World number one Ashleigh Barty declared Monday she's "not done yet" after storming into the Australian Open quarter-finals to raise hopes of a first home winner in 43 years. The Australian's defensive mastery flummoxed big-hitting Shelby Rogers in her 6-3, 6-4 victory in one hour and 11 minutes in the fourth round at a crowdless Rod Laver Arena. Barty, who is aiming to become the first Australian champion since Chris O'Neil in 1978, plays 25th seed Karolina Muchova in the quarter-finals after the Czech beat 18th seed Elise Mertens 7-6 (7/5), 7-5. The 24-year-old reached the quarter-final of her home Slam for the third straight year, but remained unsatisfied. "We're not done yet," Barty said when asked how she felt about reaching the final eight. "If we had looked at the way we were preparing during our pre-season, to have the start that we have had so far is really encouraging, but certainly not satisfied with where we're at the moment. "We will keep chipping away and keep trying to do the right things to progress as far as we can." Australian expectations are rising for Barty, whose side of the draw has opened up with the early exits of defending champion Sofia Kenin, world number five Elina Svitolina and world number six Karolina Pliskova. American Jennifer Brady is the next highest seed in Barty's bracket at 22. She, however, was wary of 24-year-old Muchova, who made an impression on her during their third round clash at the 2018 US Open which Barty won in straight sets. "I remember that match in New York, coming off the court and saying to (coach Craig Tyzzer)...'Karolina, she can play, she's a hell of a player'," she said of her sole match against Muchova. "I know she's got the ability to manoeuvre the ball all around the court, play with variety, play with shape." The 2019 French Open champion, having not played last year after February due to the pandemic, is rounding into peak form and successfully became the "aggressor" against Rogers, who she nearly lost to last week in the Yarra Valley Classic quarter-finals. Barty, who has been carrying a niggle to her heavily strapped left thigh, moved smoothly and counter-attacked superbly to thwart the in-form American. "It was important for me to serve well and try and bring it on my terms as often as possible," she said. "I think I have learnt a lot about myself over the past 12 months. "I'm just extremely grateful that I've got another opportunity to do something that I love... on the biggest stage for us as Aussies playing tennis."

'Not done yet': Barty storms into Australian Open quarters

World number one Ash Barty barely broke sweat as she swept into the second round of the Australian Open with a 6-0 6-0 thrashing of error-prone Danka Kovinic on Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday.

The Australian won the first 16 points and lost only 10 of 60 over the 44-minute match as the hapless Kovinic sprayed 28 unforced errors - almost one every other point -- to succumb to the dreaded "double bagel" scoreline.

"I wanted to go out there and almost take the sting, take the pepper out of the match a little bit and get it on my terms as much as possible right from the get-go and make it feel like she had a real mountain to climb," Barty said.

"I think that was probably the most pleasing thing overall, right from the start I set the tone and was able to run away with it."

Such one-sided contests will do nothing for ticket sales at a tournament struggling to get fans through the gates, but Barty will not care a jot as she seeks to become the first homegrown singles champion at the Grand Slam since 1978.

The 24-year-old played her first tournament in almost a year last week and walked away with the title but she knows there will much be tougher tests ahead if she is to land a second Grand Slam crown at the end of next week.

She was also the top seed at Melbourne Park last year after winning her first Grand Slam title at the 2019 French Open but fell to eventual champion Sofia Kenin in the semi-finals.

While she has had a long layoff, not having to quarantine for two weeks before the tournament like her rivals should be an advantage and her draw was kind.

Barty believes, however, that there are more threats than ever in the women's game.

"I think more than anything is you're seeing that the women's game is getting so strong, the depth is incredible. You certainly can't underestimate anyone," Barty said.

"Every single opponent deserves to be here and has the right to press you as much as possible."Next up for Barty is a second-round match against Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo or local wildcard Daria Gavrilova.

"It will be a challenge if she gets through," she said of compatriot Gavrilova.

"I always enjoy testing myself against other Aussies. If she does get through, it will be a ripper."

World number one Ash Barty barely broke sweat as she swept into the second round of the Australian Open with a 6-0 6-0 thrashing of error-prone Danka Kovinic on Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday.

World number one Ash Barty barely broke sweat as she swept into the second round of the Australian Open with a 6-0 6-0 thrashing of error-prone Danka Kovinic on Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday. The Australian won the first 16 points and lost only 10 of 60 over the 44-minute match as the hapless Kovinic sprayed 28 unforced errors - almost one every other point -- to succumb to the dreaded "double bagel" scoreline. "I wanted to go out there and almost take the sting, take the pepper out of the match a little bit and get it on my terms as much as possible right from the get-go and make it feel like she had a real mountain to climb," Barty said. "I think that was probably the most pleasing thing overall, right from the start I set the tone and was able to run away with it." Such one-sided contests will do nothing for ticket sales at a tournament struggling to get fans through the gates, but Barty will not care a jot as she seeks to become the first homegrown singles champion at the Grand Slam since 1978. The 24-year-old played her first tournament in almost a year last week and walked away with the title but she knows there will much be tougher tests ahead if she is to land a second Grand Slam crown at the end of next week. She was also the top seed at Melbourne Park last year after winning her first Grand Slam title at the 2019 French Open but fell to eventual champion Sofia Kenin in the semi-finals. While she has had a long layoff, not having to quarantine for two weeks before the tournament like her rivals should be an advantage and her draw was kind. Barty believes, however, that there are more threats than ever in the women's game. "I think more than anything is you're seeing that the women's game is getting so strong, the depth is incredible. You certainly can't underestimate anyone," Barty said. "Every single opponent deserves to be here and has the right to press you as much as possible."Next up for Barty is a second-round match against Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo or local wildcard Daria Gavrilova. "It will be a challenge if she gets through," she said of compatriot Gavrilova. "I always enjoy testing myself against other Aussies. If she does get through, it will be a ripper."

All business Barty doles out Melbourne 'double bagel'

Australia's world number one Ash Barty was delighted to return to competing again after 11 months on Friday although her comeback in Adelaide ended on a losing note against Simona Halep of Romania.

The 24-year-old skipped the U.S. Open and also decided not to defend her title at Roland Garros and had not played a competitive match since last February, opting to stay at home amid health concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It's absolutely fantastic to be back. I've genuinely missed this so much," Barty said in an on-court interview after a narrow 3-6 6-1 (10-8) defeat by world number two Halep in an exhibition event in Adelaide.

"I have been getting a little bit impatient the last two or three months, getting ready to play."

Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, Dominic Thiem, Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka also took part in the "Day at the Drive" event in front of a crowd of 4,000 to kick off the Australian tennis summer.

Barty was quickly off the blocks against Halep, who struggled against the Australian's strong service and powerful groundstrokes in the opening set.

But errors crept into her game in the second as Halep found her groove to level the match and then got the victory with a closely-fought final set tiebreaker.

Barty will next headline the Yarra Valley Classic, a WTA 500 event at Melbourne Park from Sunday before the Feb. 8-21 Australian Open is played at the same venue.

"I'm so excited to get started next week," Barty said, adding that Friday's outing against Halep was "perfect preparation" before the start of her Tour matches.

"It's pretty amazing to think where we've been the last 12 months and to now have a near full crowd here, it's remarkable.

"The most important thing is when you come back out on the court, you love what you do. I know that I'm excited to get started. But it is bloody good to be back."

Two-time Grand Slam winner Halep said her opponent did not look like someone who had not played for so long.

"I needed a little bit of oxygen today after the two weeks quarantine, so it was not easy," she said. "It's going to be great fight always when I play against her."

Australia's world number one Ash Barty was delighted to return to competing again after 11 months on Friday although her comeback in Adelaide ended on a losing note against Simona Halep of Romania.

Australia's world number one Ash Barty was delighted to return to competing again after 11 months on Friday although her comeback in Adelaide ended on a losing note against Simona Halep of Romania. The 24-year-old skipped the U.S. Open and also decided not to defend her title at Roland Garros and had not played a competitive match since last February, opting to stay at home amid health concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "It's absolutely fantastic to be back. I've genuinely missed this so much," Barty said in an on-court interview after a narrow 3-6 6-1 (10-8) defeat by world number two Halep in an exhibition event in Adelaide. "I have been getting a little bit impatient the last two or three months, getting ready to play." Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, Dominic Thiem, Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka also took part in the "Day at the Drive" event in front of a crowd of 4,000 to kick off the Australian tennis summer. Barty was quickly off the blocks against Halep, who struggled against the Australian's strong service and powerful groundstrokes in the opening set. But errors crept into her game in the second as Halep found her groove to level the match and then got the victory with a closely-fought final set tiebreaker. Barty will next headline the Yarra Valley Classic, a WTA 500 event at Melbourne Park from Sunday before the Feb. 8-21 Australian Open is played at the same venue. "I'm so excited to get started next week," Barty said, adding that Friday's outing against Halep was "perfect preparation" before the start of her Tour matches. "It's pretty amazing to think where we've been the last 12 months and to now have a near full crowd here, it's remarkable. "The most important thing is when you come back out on the court, you love what you do. I know that I'm excited to get started. But it is bloody good to be back." Two-time Grand Slam winner Halep said her opponent did not look like someone who had not played for so long. "I needed a little bit of oxygen today after the two weeks quarantine, so it was not easy," she said. "It's going to be great fight always when I play against her."

Aus Open: Top-ranked Ashleigh Barty thrilled to be back playing again

World number one Ash Barty is itching to get back to competitive tennis at the Australian Open but has poured cold water on the idea that she might be set to end the 43-year wait for a homegrown women's champion.

Barty reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park for the first time last year before sitting out most of the rest of the season at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 24-year-old remains Australia's best hope of singles success when the year's first Grand Slam starts on Feb. 8 but Barty urged her compatriots not to get their hopes up.

"They can think whatever they like. If they expect me to win the tournament, then that's their expectations," Barty told the Australian Associated Press on Saturday.

"But mine certainly aren't that for now. It's about doing the right things right from the start, from the very first match. If it's good enough, it is. And if it's not, it's not. But that's OK."

Barty last played a tournament match at the Qatar Open last February, deciding to remain at home in the relative safety of Queensland rather than travel to New York for the U.S. Open or to Paris for her French Open title defence.

"Obviously I haven't played competition tennis for a year now so it's going to be a challenge but we also know that hopefully again it will be a long season and we don't have to panic if we don't get the perfect start," she added.

"We'll just try and go out there and do the best that we can and whatever happens will happen. I feel ready to go and I'm just itching to get started."

Barty did not need to quarantine before the Australian Open and will play an exhibition event in Adelaide on Friday before returning to Melbourne for the Grand Slam.

World number one Ash Barty is itching to get back to competitive tennis at the Australian Open but has poured cold water on the idea that she might be set to end the 43-year wait for a homegrown women's champion.

World number one Ash Barty is itching to get back to competitive tennis at the Australian Open but has poured cold water on the idea that she might be set to end the 43-year wait for a homegrown women's champion. Barty reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park for the first time last year before sitting out most of the rest of the season at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 24-year-old remains Australia's best hope of singles success when the year's first Grand Slam starts on Feb. 8 but Barty urged her compatriots not to get their hopes up. "They can think whatever they like. If they expect me to win the tournament, then that's their expectations," Barty told the Australian Associated Press on Saturday. "But mine certainly aren't that for now. It's about doing the right things right from the start, from the very first match. If it's good enough, it is. And if it's not, it's not. But that's OK." Barty last played a tournament match at the Qatar Open last February, deciding to remain at home in the relative safety of Queensland rather than travel to New York for the U.S. Open or to Paris for her French Open title defence. "Obviously I haven't played competition tennis for a year now so it's going to be a challenge but we also know that hopefully again it will be a long season and we don't have to panic if we don't get the perfect start," she added. "We'll just try and go out there and do the best that we can and whatever happens will happen. I feel ready to go and I'm just itching to get started." Barty did not need to quarantine before the Australian Open and will play an exhibition event in Adelaide on Friday before returning to Melbourne for the Grand Slam.

World no. 1 Ash Barty itching to get started at Australian Open

World number one Ashleigh Barty announced Tuesday she will not defend her French Open crown, citing the coronavirus fears that also prompted her and several other top players to withdraw from the US Open.

The Australian, who claimed her maiden Grand Slam at Roland Garros in 2019, said it was a "difficult" decision but the health of her family and team came first.

"Last year's French Open was the most special tournament of my career so this is not a decision I have made lightly," she said on social media.

"There are two reasons for my decision -- the first is the health risks that still exist with Covid.

"The second is my preparation, which has not been ideal without my coach being able to train with me due to the state border closures in Australia."

Barty is based in Brisbane while her coach, Craig Tyzzer, is in Melbourne and unable to travel as the city battles a significant second-wave virus outbreak.

She announced in late July that she would sit out the US Open, currently underway in New York, with defending men's champion Rafael Nadal and world number two Simona Halep among those who also opted out because of the pandemic.

At the time, Barty was still monitoring the situation with the French Open, which is due to start on September 27, but said Tuesday her withdrawal was the latest development in "a challenging year for everyone".

"I wish the players and the French Federation all the best for a successful tournament," the 24-year-old said.&nbsp;

"I now look forward to a long pre-season and the summer in Australia."

<h2>- Serena undecided -</h2>

The fate of Barty's home Grand Slam, the Australian Open in January, is yet to be determined, with the possibility it could be moved out of Melbourne if the city's outbreak has not eased.&nbsp;

Barty's straight-sets victory over Marketa Vondrousova in the French Open last year helped propel her to world number one, a position she has held since.

Her last competitive singles match was in late February at the Qatar Open. &nbsp;

Barty's French Open withdrawal comes after tournament organisers said all players at the Grand Slam would be housed in two designated hotels "without exception" to reduce coronavirus risks.

Daily crowd numbers have been reduced to 11,500 from 20,000 and the Roland Garros complex is being divided into three independent zones, with no crossover between them.

Serena Williams has indicated she would prefer to stay in private accommodation while competing in Paris, as she has done in New York.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion, who has a history of serious lung problems, said she would speak to French Open organisers before making a decision on whether to compete.

"I'm honestly taking it one day at a time. I'm going to have to make the best decision for my health," Williams told reporters after making the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows.

"It's just, I still have some questions, but I'm really kind of, ironically, focused on New York but it's kind of hard because these Grand Slams are so close to each other this year," she added.

World number one Ashleigh Barty announced Tuesday she will not defend her French Open crown, citing the coronavirus fears that also prompted her and several other top players to withdraw from the US Open.

World number one Ashleigh Barty announced Tuesday she will not defend her French Open crown, citing the coronavirus fears that also prompted her and several other top players to withdraw from the US Open. The Australian, who claimed her maiden Grand Slam at Roland Garros in 2019, said it was a "difficult" decision but the health of her family and team came first. "Last year's French Open was the most special tournament of my career so this is not a decision I have made lightly," she said on social media. "There are two reasons for my decision -- the first is the health risks that still exist with Covid. "The second is my preparation, which has not been ideal without my coach being able to train with me due to the state border closures in Australia." Barty is based in Brisbane while her coach, Craig Tyzzer, is in Melbourne and unable to travel as the city battles a significant second-wave virus outbreak. She announced in late July that she would sit out the US Open, currently underway in New York, with defending men's champion Rafael Nadal and world number two Simona Halep among those who also opted out because of the pandemic. At the time, Barty was still monitoring the situation with the French Open, which is due to start on September 27, but said Tuesday her withdrawal was the latest development in "a challenging year for everyone". "I wish the players and the French Federation all the best for a successful tournament," the 24-year-old said. "I now look forward to a long pre-season and the summer in Australia." - Serena undecided - The fate of Barty's home Grand Slam, the Australian Open in January, is yet to be determined, with the possibility it could be moved out of Melbourne if the city's outbreak has not eased. Barty's straight-sets victory over Marketa Vondrousova in the French Open last year helped propel her to world number one, a position she has held since. Her last competitive singles match was in late February at the Qatar Open. Barty's French Open withdrawal comes after tournament organisers said all players at the Grand Slam would be housed in two designated hotels "without exception" to reduce coronavirus risks. Daily crowd numbers have been reduced to 11,500 from 20,000 and the Roland Garros complex is being divided into three independent zones, with no crossover between them. Serena Williams has indicated she would prefer to stay in private accommodation while competing in Paris, as she has done in New York. The 23-time Grand Slam champion, who has a history of serious lung problems, said she would speak to French Open organisers before making a decision on whether to compete. "I'm honestly taking it one day at a time. I'm going to have to make the best decision for my health," Williams told reporters after making the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows. "It's just, I still have some questions, but I'm really kind of, ironically, focused on New York but it's kind of hard because these Grand Slams are so close to each other this year," she added.

Defending champion Barty to skip French Open over coronavirus fears

World number one tennis star Ashleigh Barty will skip the much-awaited US Open and the tournament preceding it in New York due to concerns over COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement, Barty confirmed that she won’t be travelling for the US Open or the Western and Southern Open while citing significant risks involved due to the dreaded virus while adding she doesn’t feel comfortable putting her team in that position.

“My team and I have decided that we won’t be travelling to the U.S. for the Western and Southern Open and the U.S. Open this year,” the Australian said in a statement issued by her manager on Thursday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nick-kyrgios-hits-back-at-borna-coric-over-adria-tour-saga-asks-do-you-have-rocks-in-your-head-316740" hreflang="en">Nick Kyrgios hits back at Borna Coric over Adria Tour saga, asks 'do you have rocks in your head?'</a>

“I love both events so it was a difficult decision but there are still significant risks involved due to COVID-19 and I don’t feel comfortable putting my team and I in that position.

“I wish the USTA all the best for the tournaments and look forward to being back in the U.S. next year.”

The Western and Southern Open is held annually in Cincinnati but has been moved to New York this year with the event set to commence mid-August.

Whereas the US Open kicks off on August 31 and will be held in the Flushing Meadows, Queens. However, the tournament is set to be played without fans in attendance to curb the spread of the virus.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-marnus-labuschagne-thriving-to-be-the-best-316956" hreflang="en">Exclusive | Marnus Labuschagne: Thriving to be the best</a>

The defending French Open champion will take a decision on Rolland Garros, which is starting late September, later.&nbsp;

“I will make my decision on the French Open and the surrounding WTA European tournaments in the coming weeks,” she said.

World number one Novak Djokovic, 23-time Grand Slam champion are expected to participate in the US Open. Japanese ace Naomi Osaka has also confirmed she will be competing in the tournament.&nbsp;

Deaths from COVID-19 surpassed 150,000 in the United States on Wednesday, more than any other country and nearly a quarter of the world’s total, according to a Reuters tally. 
&nbsp;

World number one tennis star Ashleigh Barty will skip the much-awaited US Open and the tournament preceding it in New York due to concerns over COVID-19 pandemic.

World number one tennis star Ashleigh Barty will skip the much-awaited US Open and the tournament preceding it in New York due to concerns over COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement, Barty confirmed that she won’t be travelling for the US Open or the Western and Southern Open while citing significant risks involved due to the dreaded virus while adding she doesn’t feel comfortable putting her team in that position. “My team and I have decided that we won’t be travelling to the U.S. for the Western and Southern Open and the U.S. Open this year,” the Australian said in a statement issued by her manager on Thursday. ALSO READ: Nick Kyrgios hits back at Borna Coric over Adria Tour saga, asks 'do you have rocks in your head?' “I love both events so it was a difficult decision but there are still significant risks involved due to COVID-19 and I don’t feel comfortable putting my team and I in that position. “I wish the USTA all the best for the tournaments and look forward to being back in the U.S. next year.” The Western and Southern Open is held annually in Cincinnati but has been moved to New York this year with the event set to commence mid-August. Whereas the US Open kicks off on August 31 and will be held in the Flushing Meadows, Queens. However, the tournament is set to be played without fans in attendance to curb the spread of the virus. ALSO READ: Exclusive | Marnus Labuschagne: Thriving to be the best The defending French Open champion will take a decision on Rolland Garros, which is starting late September, later. “I will make my decision on the French Open and the surrounding WTA European tournaments in the coming weeks,” she said. World number one Novak Djokovic, 23-time Grand Slam champion are expected to participate in the US Open. Japanese ace Naomi Osaka has also confirmed she will be competing in the tournament. Deaths from COVID-19 surpassed 150,000 in the United States on Wednesday, more than any other country and nearly a quarter of the world’s total, according to a Reuters tally.

World number one Ashleigh Barty to skip U.S. Open over COVID-19 concerns

Ash Barty's dream of ending her nation's 42-year wait for a homegrown <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-brutal-barty-demolishes-rybakina-to-reach-melbourne-last-16-276222">Australian Open champion</a> lay in tatters on Thursday after the world number one crumbled on the big points in a straight-sets semi-final defeat to Sofia Kenin. The 23-year-old Queenslander beat a hasty retreat from Rod Laver Arena after losing her first Melbourne semi-final 7-6(6) 7-5, shaking her head ruefully as she walked down the player's tunnel.

While it was Kenin left to march on to the final, much of the one hour, 45-minute clash had been on Barty's terms, her artful backhand slice carving open the American time and time again.

But just as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/barty-wins-adelaide-title-in-australian-open-boost-275094">Barty looked poised</a> to claim the first set, leading 6-4 in the tiebreak, she faltered, losing four points in a row to gift Kenin the lead. 
Barty had another two chances to level when on serve at 5-4 in the second set but again could not convert. She failed to land six first serves in a row, allowing Kenin to break back, hold serve to love and then break again to seal an unlikely win.

<img alt="Ashleigh Barty" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="39bf8f47-3f9e-4087-a644-0e04d5c9f0ef" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2813%29_11.jpg" /> 
[&nbsp;Australia’s Ashleigh&nbsp;Barty&nbsp;waves as she leaves the court after losing her match against Sofia Kenin (Courtesy: Reuters) ]

As French Open champion and world number one, home fans had inevitably hoped for more from Barty but she made no apologies as she came into her post-match media conference cradling Olivia, her baby niece. The three-month-old, occasionally gurgling and fidgeting, was a reminder that life goes on, yet there was a touch of defensiveness about Barty as she looked up at a room full of reporters and muttered: "Righto, here we go."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pressure-cranks-up-as-barty-reaches-first-australian-open-semi-final-277055">Pressure cranks up as Barty reaches first Australian Open semi-final</a>

Barty gave credit where credit was due, praising the performance of the 14th seeded American, and acknowledged she had not played the big points well. But the occasion had not got to her, she said. "Not at all. I've been in a Grand Slam semi-final before. Yes, it's different at home," she said. "I enjoyed the experience. I love being out there. I've loved every minute of playing in Australia over the last month. "I could have had an opportunity to go one more match, but we didn't quite get that today."

Lessons into practice

Barty is hardly the first home favourite to suffer disappointment at Melbourne Park. Since Chris O'Neil claimed the women's tournament in 1978, world number ones and Grand Slam champions alike have gone close but fallen short.

Twice Grand Slam winner Lleyton Hewitt's trip to the 2005 final, where he was beaten by Marat Safin, remains the nearest miss in the modern era. Barty, still early in her career, should have plenty more chances to break the drought and said she had already learned plenty about being world number one at a home Grand Slam.

"I won't wait a year to put those (lessons) into practice," she said. "I'll put those into practice next week. The next time I walk out on the court, the next time I wake up in the morning, every experience you need to learn from. I've done that. "I can't wait to get started for the rest of the year. I feel like it's going to happen pretty quickly and we're going to be back sitting at this table with an Australian summer next year."

Ash Barty's dream of ending her nation's 42-year wait for a homegrown Australian Open champion lay in tatters on Thursday after the world number one crumbled on the big points in a straight-sets semi-final defeat to Sofia Kenin.

Ash Barty's dream of ending her nation's 42-year wait for a homegrown Australian Open champion lay in tatters on Thursday after the world number one crumbled on the big points in a straight-sets semi-final defeat to Sofia Kenin. The 23-year-old Queenslander beat a hasty retreat from Rod Laver Arena after losing her first Melbourne semi-final 7-6(6) 7-5, shaking her head ruefully as she walked down the player's tunnel. While it was Kenin left to march on to the final, much of the one hour, 45-minute clash had been on Barty's terms, her artful backhand slice carving open the American time and time again. But just as Barty looked poised to claim the first set, leading 6-4 in the tiebreak, she faltered, losing four points in a row to gift Kenin the lead. Barty had another two chances to level when on serve at 5-4 in the second set but again could not convert. She failed to land six first serves in a row, allowing Kenin to break back, hold serve to love and then break again to seal an unlikely win. [ Australia’s Ashleigh Barty waves as she leaves the court after losing her match against Sofia Kenin (Courtesy: Reuters) ] As French Open champion and world number one, home fans had inevitably hoped for more from Barty but she made no apologies as she came into her post-match media conference cradling Olivia, her baby niece. The three-month-old, occasionally gurgling and fidgeting, was a reminder that life goes on, yet there was a touch of defensiveness about Barty as she looked up at a room full of reporters and muttered: "Righto, here we go." Also Read: Pressure cranks up as Barty reaches first Australian Open semi-final Barty gave credit where credit was due, praising the performance of the 14th seeded American, and acknowledged she had not played the big points well. But the occasion had not got to her, she said. "Not at all. I've been in a Grand Slam semi-final before. Yes, it's different at home," she said. "I enjoyed the experience. I love being out there. I've loved every minute of playing in Australia over the last month. "I could have had an opportunity to go one more match, but we didn't quite get that today." Lessons into practice Barty is hardly the first home favourite to suffer disappointment at Melbourne Park. Since Chris O'Neil claimed the women's tournament in 1978, world number ones and Grand Slam champions alike have gone close but fallen short. Twice Grand Slam winner Lleyton Hewitt's trip to the 2005 final, where he was beaten by Marat Safin, remains the nearest miss in the modern era. Barty, still early in her career, should have plenty more chances to break the drought and said she had already learned plenty about being world number one at a home Grand Slam. "I won't wait a year to put those (lessons) into practice," she said. "I'll put those into practice next week. The next time I walk out on the court, the next time I wake up in the morning, every experience you need to learn from. I've done that. "I can't wait to get started for the rest of the year. I feel like it's going to happen pretty quickly and we're going to be back sitting at this table with an Australian summer next year."

Ash Barty loses semi-final to Sofia Kenin; dream of winning Aussie Open shattered

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../australian-open-brutal-barty-demolishes- rybakina-to-reach-melbourne-last-16-276222">Ashleigh Barty</a> said Tuesday that she prefers the quiet life but there is no chance of that after Australia's world number one reached the semi-finals of her home Grand Slam for the first time.

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Into the final 4⃣‼️ 
 
Top seed <a href="https://twitter.com/ashbarty?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ashbarty</a> posts her best <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> result to date, reaching the semifinals with a 7-6(6) 6-2 win over Petra Kvitova. 
 
She's the first Aussie woman to reach this stage since Wendy Turnbull in 1984 🇦🇺<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AO2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AO2020</a> <a href="https://t.co/gPQfhEuzLC">pic.twitter.com/gPQfhEuzLC</a>
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/1222003911210332161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The top seed plays 14th-seeded American Sofia Kenin in the last four after surviving a tough first set to defeat Petra Kvitova 7-6 (8/6), 6-2 in the quarter-finals.

There is intense pressure on the 23-year-old Barty, the last remaining Australian in the tournament, to deliver the first homegrown women's champion since Chris O'Neil in 1978.

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A 1,000 word nightly memo from coach <a href="https://twitter.com/CTyzzer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CTyzzer</a>? 📖 
 
Sounds like it's working <a href="https://twitter.com/ashbarty?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ashbarty</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AO2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AO2020</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/HeFgmWJdWj">pic.twitter.com/HeFgmWJdWj</a>
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She is the face of the&nbsp;Australian Open&nbsp;and her picture is on billboards all over Melbourne.

But Barty said: "I'd prefer to just be sitting at home just living my quiet little life.

"I mean, no offence, but not having to chat to you guys every day would be pretty good," she told reporters, smiling.

"I feel like I have nothing to say, I'm talking in circles a little bit."

But Barty said having the focus on her in Melbourne was inevitable and "a part of the journey that I hate it and I love it".

Beating the Czech seventh seed Kvitova was revenge for Barty, who was beaten by the two-time Wimbledon champion at the same stage last year.

But the down-to-earth Australian is a better player than 12 months ago, winning the French Open last year and hitting the top of the rankings for the first time.

Kvitova, 29, who suffered a severe injury to her left playing hand in a knife attack at her home in 2016, and Barty went toe-to-toe in a crucial seventh game of the first set.

In a game stretching to nearly 10 minutes, Barty fought off five break points to hold serve at Rod Laver Arena, to roars of approval.

In a tense encounter, they went to the tie-break, but it was Kvitova who blinked, shanking a forehand long to give Barty the set in 69 high-quality minutes.

Barty, who once gave up&nbsp;tennis&nbsp;to play professional cricket, clenched her fist. Kvitova tossed her racquet into air.

Barty pulled away in the second set as Kvitova wilted in the Melbourne sun.

The Australian sealed the deal with her trademark minimum fuss, booking her spot in the last four with an ace.

The draw has opened up for Barty after six of the top 10 women's seeds were beaten in the third round, among them reigning champion Naomi Osaka and history-chasing Serena Williams.

Barty and the 21-year-old Kenin have played five times before, the Australian winning four of them.

But she is wary of an aggressive opponent who is on the rise and set to at least match her career-high of 12 in the world next week.

"She's an exceptional competitor, loves to put herself out there, test herself on the biggest stage," said Barty.

"She has a great knack of controlling the court from the centre of the court and being that first-strike player.

"It's going to be important for me to try and nullify that if I can."

Ashleigh Barty said Tuesday that she prefers the quiet life but there is no chance of that after Australia's world number one reached the semi-finals of her home Grand Slam for the first time.

Ashleigh Barty said Tuesday that she prefers the quiet life but there is no chance of that after Australia's world number one reached the semi-finals of her home Grand Slam for the first time. Into the final 4⃣‼️ Top seed @ashbarty posts her best #AusOpen result to date, reaching the semifinals with a 7-6(6) 6-2 win over Petra Kvitova. She's the first Aussie woman to reach this stage since Wendy Turnbull in 1984 🇦🇺#AO2020 pic.twitter.com/gPQfhEuzLC — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2020 × The top seed plays 14th-seeded American Sofia Kenin in the last four after surviving a tough first set to defeat Petra Kvitova 7-6 (8/6), 6-2 in the quarter-finals. There is intense pressure on the 23-year-old Barty, the last remaining Australian in the tournament, to deliver the first homegrown women's champion since Chris O'Neil in 1978. A 1,000 word nightly memo from coach @CTyzzer? 📖 Sounds like it's working @ashbarty! #AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/HeFgmWJdWj — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2020 × She is the face of the Australian Open and her picture is on billboards all over Melbourne. But Barty said: "I'd prefer to just be sitting at home just living my quiet little life. "I mean, no offence, but not having to chat to you guys every day would be pretty good," she told reporters, smiling. "I feel like I have nothing to say, I'm talking in circles a little bit." But Barty said having the focus on her in Melbourne was inevitable and "a part of the journey that I hate it and I love it". Beating the Czech seventh seed Kvitova was revenge for Barty, who was beaten by the two-time Wimbledon champion at the same stage last year. But the down-to-earth Australian is a better player than 12 months ago, winning the French Open last year and hitting the top of the rankings for the first time. Kvitova, 29, who suffered a severe injury to her left playing hand in a knife attack at her home in 2016, and Barty went toe-to-toe in a crucial seventh game of the first set. In a game stretching to nearly 10 minutes, Barty fought off five break points to hold serve at Rod Laver Arena, to roars of approval. In a tense encounter, they went to the tie-break, but it was Kvitova who blinked, shanking a forehand long to give Barty the set in 69 high-quality minutes. Barty, who once gave up tennis to play professional cricket, clenched her fist. Kvitova tossed her racquet into air. Barty pulled away in the second set as Kvitova wilted in the Melbourne sun. The Australian sealed the deal with her trademark minimum fuss, booking her spot in the last four with an ace. The draw has opened up for Barty after six of the top 10 women's seeds were beaten in the third round, among them reigning champion Naomi Osaka and history-chasing Serena Williams. Barty and the 21-year-old Kenin have played five times before, the Australian winning four of them. But she is wary of an aggressive opponent who is on the rise and set to at least match her career-high of 12 in the world next week. "She's an exceptional competitor, loves to put herself out there, test herself on the biggest stage," said Barty. "She has a great knack of controlling the court from the centre of the court and being that first-strike player. "It's going to be important for me to try and nullify that if I can."

Pressure cranks up as Barty reaches first Australian Open semi-final

Amanda Anisimova burst into tears in the post-match media conference after she was asked about her father, &nbsp;the American rising star bowed out of the first round of the Australian Open this year.&nbsp;

She was playing her first major Grand Slam post her father's untimed demise. Her father died due to a heart attack. The shocking tragedy took place just before the 2019 US Open.

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Missing you 🕊😞
— Amanda Anisimova (@AnisimovaAmanda) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnisimovaAmanda/status/1214866902675116040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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World No 21 Amanda was beaten (6-3, 4-6, 6-3) by World No 73 Zarina Diyas in an upset.

After the match ended a reporter asked her if she 'felt unsettled' after the tragedy, where she replied while fighting her tears"Do we really have to talk about this so fast after a match?".&nbsp;

The reporter&nbsp;who asked her the question immediately apologized for the question.

Her mixed-double partner Nick Kyrgios blasted at the media after this incident. He called it 'cruel'.&nbsp;

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This makes me so mad. Have a heart and please feel, it’s not fair. Keep your head up Amanda ❤️🙏🏽 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/alwayswatching?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#alwayswatching</a> <a href="https://t.co/gaoA8SlOFY">https://t.co/gaoA8SlOFY</a>
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickKyrgios/status/1219598571311259648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Nick Kyrgios has also proceeded to the next round. The young Australian has promised A$200 per ace this month.&nbsp;

The 18-year-old displayed her skills when she beat World No 3 Simona Halep in the French Open quarterfinals. But she was beaten by the then French Champion Ashleigh Barty in semis.

Anisimova was seen as a prodigy after the match, Nike signed the teen for a long term deal for $102 million. The deal was compared to that of Maria Sharapova's.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Amanda Anisimova burst into tears in the post-match media conference after she was asked about her father, the American rising star bowed out of the first round of the Australian Open this year.

Amanda Anisimova burst into tears in the post-match media conference after she was asked about her father, the American rising star bowed out of the first round of the Australian Open this year. She was playing her first major Grand Slam post her father's untimed demise. Her father died due to a heart attack. The shocking tragedy took place just before the 2019 US Open. Missing you 🕊😞 — Amanda Anisimova (@AnisimovaAmanda) January 8, 2020 × World No 21 Amanda was beaten (6-3, 4-6, 6-3) by World No 73 Zarina Diyas in an upset. After the match ended a reporter asked her if she 'felt unsettled' after the tragedy, where she replied while fighting her tears"Do we really have to talk about this so fast after a match?". The reporter who asked her the question immediately apologized for the question. Her mixed-double partner Nick Kyrgios blasted at the media after this incident. He called it 'cruel'. This makes me so mad. Have a heart and please feel, it’s not fair. Keep your head up Amanda ❤️🙏🏽 #alwayswatching https://t.co/gaoA8SlOFY — Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) January 21, 2020 × Nick Kyrgios has also proceeded to the next round. The young Australian has promised A$200 per ace this month. The 18-year-old displayed her skills when she beat World No 3 Simona Halep in the French Open quarterfinals. But she was beaten by the then French Champion Ashleigh Barty in semis. Anisimova was seen as a prodigy after the match, Nike signed the teen for a long term deal for $102 million. The deal was compared to that of Maria Sharapova's.

Tennis: Amanda Anisimova bursts out in tears when asked about father, Kygrios calls it cruel

Barty, who swept aside Yastremska in one hour and 25 minutes, is bidding to end Australia's long wait for a homegrown champion at the year's first Grand Slam. The last was Chris O'Neil, who claimed the women's title at the 1978 tournament.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wimbledon-ashleigh-barty-embraces-number-one-tag-cruises-into-second-round-232654">Wimbledon: Ashleigh Barty embraces number one tag, cruises into second round</a>

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Home is where the heart is 💛💚 Thank you Adelaide! <a href="https://t.co/KY5TeVsn1E">pic.twitter.com/KY5TeVsn1E</a>
— Ash Barty (@ashbarty) <a href="https://twitter.com/ashbarty/status/1218469147438280705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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A tweet from Ashleigh Barty's official twitter account was sent on the day she won expressing&nbsp;her gratitude and joy to the world.

Barty&nbsp;broke the Ukrainian twice to win the first set but Yastremska put up stiffer resistance in the second to level it at 4-4. The Australian broke to go 6-5 up on four straight errors from the Ukrainian and served out to seal the title.

She fired 15 winners against the wayward Yastremska, who committed 31 unforced errors.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-ashleigh-barty-guarantees-rise-to-world-number-one-229775">Barty&nbsp;won</a> her only previous meeting with Yastremska in Miami last year.

Top seed&nbsp;Barty&nbsp;begins her Australian Open campaign against Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko on Monday.

Barty, who swept aside Yastremska in one hour and 25 minutes, is bidding to end Australia's long wait for a homegrown champion at the year's first Grand Slam. The last was Chris O'Neil, who claimed the women's title at the 1978 tournament.

Barty, who swept aside Yastremska in one hour and 25 minutes, is bidding to end Australia's long wait for a homegrown champion at the year's first Grand Slam. The last was Chris O'Neil, who claimed the women's title at the 1978 tournament. Also Read: Wimbledon: Ashleigh Barty embraces number one tag, cruises into second round Home is where the heart is 💛💚 Thank you Adelaide! pic.twitter.com/KY5TeVsn1E — Ash Barty (@ashbarty) January 18, 2020 × A tweet from Ashleigh Barty's official twitter account was sent on the day she won expressing her gratitude and joy to the world. Barty broke the Ukrainian twice to win the first set but Yastremska put up stiffer resistance in the second to level it at 4-4. The Australian broke to go 6-5 up on four straight errors from the Ukrainian and served out to seal the title. She fired 15 winners against the wayward Yastremska, who committed 31 unforced errors. Barty won her only previous meeting with Yastremska in Miami last year. Top seed Barty begins her Australian Open campaign against Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko on Monday.

Ashleigh Barty wins Adelaide title in Australian Open boost

World number one Ashleigh&nbsp;Barty&nbsp;spectacularly ended her jinx against defending champion Elina Svitolina to win the WTA Finals on Sunday and scoop the richest prize in tennis history.

Barty, who had never beaten Svitolina in five previous attempts, won 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 26 minutes at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre.

The Australian claimed a record-setting US$4.42 million paycheque,&nbsp;the largest sum ever awarded in men's and women's tennis.

Barty's only loss was to late replacement Kiki Bertens and she became the fifth debutant to win the lucrative round-robin tournament.

"It's been the most incredible year for me,"&nbsp;Barty&nbsp;said after the match. "I took my opportunities when I got them tonight.''

"Pretty happy to play that kind of level in such a big match."

Svitolina has not won a trophy since claiming the WTA Finals in Singapore last year, which remains the biggest title of her career. She had lost just one set before the final to be on track to claim a maximum prize of $4.725 million before falling short in the decider.

The Ukrainian had taken a liking to the slow indoor hard court, which has been criticised by other players, with her methodical counterpunching overwhelming opponents -- but she was thwarted by an irresistible&nbsp;Barty.

The 25-year-old said she would use the off-season to recover from a nagging right knee injury, which forced her to withdraw from the Guangzhou Open in September.

"It's the priority for me to be healthy for next season," she said. "The pain is still there. It's on and off. I have to manage it."

Both players, who served strongly in Shenzhen, comfortably held service until&nbsp;Barty&nbsp;faced trouble in the ninth game, but she saved a breakpoint and dug deep when it mattered most to fend off Svitolina's relentless defensive prowess.

An increasingly confident&nbsp;Barty&nbsp;then attacked Svitolina's serve in the 10th game and claimed the set with a sizzling forehand winner.

The Ukrainian hit back early in the second set and was gifted a break in the third game through a&nbsp;Barty&nbsp;double fault but could not consolidate on serve.

Svitolina's title defence appeared in tatters when she double-faulted to lose serve in the sixth game but courageously broke back.

The see-saw continued when&nbsp;Barty&nbsp;captured another break in a gruelling eighth game before serving it out to cap off a momentous season, which also includes a French Open crown and the year-end number one ranking.

Barty's season is set to continue when she spearheads Australia's Fed Cup title hopes against France in the final on November 9-10.

It was the first WTA Finals played in Shenzhen after a five-year run in Singapore and the competition will be based in the southern Chinese city until 2028.

The event's move to China was highlighted by an eye-watering total prize pool of $14 million.

World number one Ashleigh Barty spectacularly ended her jinx against defending champion Elina Svitolina to win the WTA Finals on Sunday and scoop the richest prize in tennis history.

World number one Ashleigh Barty spectacularly ended her jinx against defending champion Elina Svitolina to win the WTA Finals on Sunday and scoop the richest prize in tennis history. Barty, who had never beaten Svitolina in five previous attempts, won 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 26 minutes at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre. The Australian claimed a record-setting US$4.42 million paycheque, the largest sum ever awarded in men's and women's tennis. Barty's only loss was to late replacement Kiki Bertens and she became the fifth debutant to win the lucrative round-robin tournament. "It's been the most incredible year for me," Barty said after the match. "I took my opportunities when I got them tonight.'' "Pretty happy to play that kind of level in such a big match." Svitolina has not won a trophy since claiming the WTA Finals in Singapore last year, which remains the biggest title of her career. She had lost just one set before the final to be on track to claim a maximum prize of $4.725 million before falling short in the decider. The Ukrainian had taken a liking to the slow indoor hard court, which has been criticised by other players, with her methodical counterpunching overwhelming opponents -- but she was thwarted by an irresistible Barty. The 25-year-old said she would use the off-season to recover from a nagging right knee injury, which forced her to withdraw from the Guangzhou Open in September. "It's the priority for me to be healthy for next season," she said. "The pain is still there. It's on and off. I have to manage it." Both players, who served strongly in Shenzhen, comfortably held service until Barty faced trouble in the ninth game, but she saved a breakpoint and dug deep when it mattered most to fend off Svitolina's relentless defensive prowess. An increasingly confident Barty then attacked Svitolina's serve in the 10th game and claimed the set with a sizzling forehand winner. The Ukrainian hit back early in the second set and was gifted a break in the third game through a Barty double fault but could not consolidate on serve. Svitolina's title defence appeared in tatters when she double-faulted to lose serve in the sixth game but courageously broke back. The see-saw continued when Barty captured another break in a gruelling eighth game before serving it out to cap off a momentous season, which also includes a French Open crown and the year-end number one ranking. Barty's season is set to continue when she spearheads Australia's Fed Cup title hopes against France in the final on November 9-10. It was the first WTA Finals played in Shenzhen after a five-year run in Singapore and the competition will be based in the southern Chinese city until 2028. The event's move to China was highlighted by an eye-watering total prize pool of $14 million.

Australian Ashleigh Barty wins WTA Finals

World number one Ashleigh Barty booked her place in the semi-finals of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/svitolina-starts-wta-title-defence-with-win-as-halep-sees-off-andreescu-258579">WTA Finals </a>on Thursday as the Australian made short work of Petra Kvitova, handing the Czech a 6-4 6-2 defeat.

Barty needed to win to be sure of progressing having won one and lost one of her opening matches, and she did so in style as she dominated to win in 88 minutes against a tired-looking Kvitova, who exits the competition with three straight losses.

"I felt like I executed really well tonight and I think overall I knew I had to come out here and play aggressively and play to win," said Barty.

"It was a really good match tonight and I'm really excited to have another chance to play here on this beautiful court."

Barty took the first set after breaking Kvitova in the fifth game, using her athleticism and movement around the court to put the Ukrainian under constant pressure.

The Australian continued her dominance early in the second set, breaking Kvitova twice in the first three games to establish a winning margin over the Czech, who racked up 31 unforced errors across the match.

Later in the evening, Belinda Bencic joined Barty in the last four after Kiki Bertens withdrew from their meeting after losing the first set to the Swiss.

Bertens, who came into the tournament after the first round as an injury replacement for Naomi Osaka, called for the doctor after losing the opening set and, after a brief consultation, headed for the locker room and a retirement.

"With Kiki, we were fighting a lot for coming here for the eighth spot for the WTA Finals, so it was nice to have a match for the semi-finals," said Bencic.

"But I'm sorry that maybe the gas ran out. It's the end of the season so everyone's exhausted and I wish her the best."

Bertens broke early in the opening set and surged ahead, only to surrender her own serve in the 10th game to allow Bencic to pull level.

The Swiss went on to claim the first set before an emotional Bertens withdrew.

"I'm super happy with how I fought in the first set, it was not easy," said Bencic.

"She was slowing the pace down well. It was tactically good from her, serving bombs, serving aces so it wasn't easy.

"But I'm happy with how I played and how I fought and I'm excited to be in the semis."

World number one Ashleigh Barty booked her place in the semi-finals of the WTA Finals on Thursday as the Australian made short work of Petra Kvitova, handing the Czech a 6-4 6-2 defeat.

World number one Ashleigh Barty booked her place in the semi-finals of the WTA Finals on Thursday as the Australian made short work of Petra Kvitova, handing the Czech a 6-4 6-2 defeat. Barty needed to win to be sure of progressing having won one and lost one of her opening matches, and she did so in style as she dominated to win in 88 minutes against a tired-looking Kvitova, who exits the competition with three straight losses. "I felt like I executed really well tonight and I think overall I knew I had to come out here and play aggressively and play to win," said Barty. "It was a really good match tonight and I'm really excited to have another chance to play here on this beautiful court." Barty took the first set after breaking Kvitova in the fifth game, using her athleticism and movement around the court to put the Ukrainian under constant pressure. The Australian continued her dominance early in the second set, breaking Kvitova twice in the first three games to establish a winning margin over the Czech, who racked up 31 unforced errors across the match. Later in the evening, Belinda Bencic joined Barty in the last four after Kiki Bertens withdrew from their meeting after losing the first set to the Swiss. Bertens, who came into the tournament after the first round as an injury replacement for Naomi Osaka, called for the doctor after losing the opening set and, after a brief consultation, headed for the locker room and a retirement. "With Kiki, we were fighting a lot for coming here for the eighth spot for the WTA Finals, so it was nice to have a match for the semi-finals," said Bencic. "But I'm sorry that maybe the gas ran out. It's the end of the season so everyone's exhausted and I wish her the best." Bertens broke early in the opening set and surged ahead, only to surrender her own serve in the 10th game to allow Bencic to pull level. The Swiss went on to claim the first set before an emotional Bertens withdrew. "I'm super happy with how I fought in the first set, it was not easy," said Bencic. "She was slowing the pace down well. It was tactically good from her, serving bombs, serving aces so it wasn't easy. "But I'm happy with how I played and how I fought and I'm excited to be in the semis."

Top ranked Barty books berth in WTA Finals last four

Karolina Pliskosva's victory at the Zhengzhou Open at the weekend means the Czech is now just 86 points behind Ashleigh Barty who remains at the top of the WTA rankings released on Monday.

Pliskova claimed her fourth title of the year as she defeated Petra Martic in a rain-disrupted final in Zhengzhou on Sunday.&nbsp;

After the 6-3, 6-2 win, the 27-year-old said that taking top spot from the Australian&nbsp;was "not my goal for now".

"My goal is to play well, which I'm trying to play. So that's my goal for now and to enjoy and to (not) really stress about results," she said.

There were no other changes in the top 25.

WTA rankings as of September 16:

1. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6,501 pts

2. Karolína Pliskova (CZE) 6,415

3. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 5,131

4. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 4,846

5. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 4,835

6. Simona Halep (ROU) 4,803

7. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4,326

8. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,325

9. Serena Williams (USA) 3,935

10. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 3,738

11. Johanna Konta (GBR) 3,115

12. Qiang Wang (CHN) 2,893

13. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 2,785

14. Sloane Stephens (USA) 2,769

15. Angelique Kerber (GER) 2,750

16. Madison Keys (USA) 2,727

17. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 2,597

18. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 2,517

19. Anett Kontaveit (EST) 2,500

20. Sofia Kenin (USA) 2,450

Karolina Pliskosva's victory at the Zhengzhou Open at the weekend means the Czech is now just 86 points behind Ashleigh Barty who remains at the top of the WTA rankings released on Monday.

Karolina Pliskosva's victory at the Zhengzhou Open at the weekend means the Czech is now just 86 points behind Ashleigh Barty who remains at the top of the WTA rankings released on Monday. Pliskova claimed her fourth title of the year as she defeated Petra Martic in a rain-disrupted final in Zhengzhou on Sunday. After the 6-3, 6-2 win, the 27-year-old said that taking top spot from the Australian was "not my goal for now". "My goal is to play well, which I'm trying to play. So that's my goal for now and to enjoy and to (not) really stress about results," she said. There were no other changes in the top 25. WTA rankings as of September 16: 1. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6,501 pts 2. Karolína Pliskova (CZE) 6,415 3. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 5,131 4. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 4,846 5. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 4,835 6. Simona Halep (ROU) 4,803 7. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4,326 8. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,325 9. Serena Williams (USA) 3,935 10. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 3,738 11. Johanna Konta (GBR) 3,115 12. Qiang Wang (CHN) 2,893 13. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 2,785 14. Sloane Stephens (USA) 2,769 15. Angelique Kerber (GER) 2,750 16. Madison Keys (USA) 2,727 17. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 2,597 18. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 2,517 19. Anett Kontaveit (EST) 2,500 20. Sofia Kenin (USA) 2,450

Karolina Pliskosva closes gap on world number one Barty

Returning from retirement to a competitive sport is a test of mental and physical strength; it is also on part of the sportsperson a sign of positive intent and true passion.

After a seven-year hiatus, four-time Grand Slam champion Belgium’s Kim Clijsters is ready to set an example which might inspire mothers who quit playing to take care of their kids.

Clijsters announced to the world that she will return to competitive tennis next year, but at the age of 36, is a winning comeback still possible?&nbsp;

"I don't really feel like I want to prove something," Clijsters said on the Women's Tennis Association Insider Podcast. "I think for me it's the challenge," she added.

Really? But why is winning not the ultimate goal? After all, fans come to watch for nail-biting finishes and clashes to remember.

Clijsters is not new to the retirement phenomena, the former US Open champion had initially retired way back in 2007 when she was just 23.&nbsp;

However, she made a return two years later post-childbirth. After that, she hung up her racquet again in 2012.

Mentioning fellow mums Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka, who have also made comebacks, Clijsters said she is inspired to play at the highest level on one of the toughest individual women's sports in the world.

At an age when most players deal with injuries and surgeries, the former world No-1 is trying to relive her Slam-winning moments.

In an era dominated by teenagers like Bianca Andreescu, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, Ashleigh Barty, her comeback is not going to be easy.

Besides familiar foes of her time, Clijsters will be up against dynamic teens she has never faced before. Losing to a teen may not go down well with her hard-won legacy at the elite level of women’s tennis.

Unlike men's tennis, WTA has seen many emerging faces lately. Although Clijsters said that she has nothing to prove and insisted that she won't play anything like a full season but still the first-round exits, if it happens will hurt her.

The history of “comeback” stories in women tennis is not exceptional. Serena Williams has to some extent impressed as she managed to play three Grand Slam finals since returning after having a baby two years ago.&nbsp;

Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka, on the other hand, have all failed to flourish since returning to the game.&nbsp;

Clijsters had mentioned conditions on her availability as she said, "My head has to be clear for me to be able to leave the kids behind and to go to practice."

She also asserted that she does not want her kid's routine to change and also that she does not want to be away from her family for much more than a couple of weeks at a time.

It will be interesting to see how far Clijsters will go but if she is returning just for fun, then she is most welcome, but as far as serious top-level tennis is concerned that is another matter.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

Returning from retirement to a competitive sport is a test of mental and physical strength; it is also on part of the sportsperson a sign of positive intent and true passion.

Returning from retirement to a competitive sport is a test of mental and physical strength; it is also on part of the sportsperson a sign of positive intent and true passion. After a seven-year hiatus, four-time Grand Slam champion Belgium’s Kim Clijsters is ready to set an example which might inspire mothers who quit playing to take care of their kids. Clijsters announced to the world that she will return to competitive tennis next year, but at the age of 36, is a winning comeback still possible? "I don't really feel like I want to prove something," Clijsters said on the Women's Tennis Association Insider Podcast. "I think for me it's the challenge," she added. Really? But why is winning not the ultimate goal? After all, fans come to watch for nail-biting finishes and clashes to remember. Clijsters is not new to the retirement phenomena, the former US Open champion had initially retired way back in 2007 when she was just 23. However, she made a return two years later post-childbirth. After that, she hung up her racquet again in 2012. Mentioning fellow mums Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka, who have also made comebacks, Clijsters said she is inspired to play at the highest level on one of the toughest individual women's sports in the world. At an age when most players deal with injuries and surgeries, the former world No-1 is trying to relive her Slam-winning moments. In an era dominated by teenagers like Bianca Andreescu, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, Ashleigh Barty, her comeback is not going to be easy. Besides familiar foes of her time, Clijsters will be up against dynamic teens she has never faced before. Losing to a teen may not go down well with her hard-won legacy at the elite level of women’s tennis. Unlike men's tennis, WTA has seen many emerging faces lately. Although Clijsters said that she has nothing to prove and insisted that she won't play anything like a full season but still the first-round exits, if it happens will hurt her. The history of “comeback” stories in women tennis is not exceptional. Serena Williams has to some extent impressed as she managed to play three Grand Slam finals since returning after having a baby two years ago. Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka, on the other hand, have all failed to flourish since returning to the game. Clijsters had mentioned conditions on her availability as she said, "My head has to be clear for me to be able to leave the kids behind and to go to practice." She also asserted that she does not want her kid's routine to change and also that she does not want to be away from her family for much more than a couple of weeks at a time. It will be interesting to see how far Clijsters will go but if she is returning just for fun, then she is most welcome, but as far as serious top-level tennis is concerned that is another matter. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

At 36, comeback queen Kim Clijsters will find it difficult against Biancas and Osakas of women tennis

French Open champion Ashleigh Barty survived a first-round scare at the US&nbsp;Open on Monday, staving off Kazakhstan's Zarina Diyas 1-6, 6-3 6-2 after struggling to find her footing as the action kicked off at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The 25-year-old Diyas took five straight games in the first set, as the world No.2 committed a string of unforced errors and got in just 25 per cent&nbsp;of her first serves.

Barty was able to stop the pain midway through the second set, converting on a crucial break-point opportunity to take a 5-3 lead and reverse the momentum in what had been a one-sided match.

"Not the ideal start, not the perfect start, but it is what it is. We were able to find a way after that to get into the match and be more patient and really just kind of lock down and wait until I got the right balls and right patterns that I wanted," Barty told reporters.

"Particularly in that first set, (Diyas) was able to put the ball in an awkward position for me, in a position where I couldn't attack."

The 23-year-old Australian, who reached the fourth round here last year, appeared to be back on form by the third set, getting in nearly two-thirds of her first serves and firing off 12 winners.

Barty skyrocketed to fame in June when she became the first Australian woman in 46 years to win the French Open singles title after downing Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova in straight sets.

She followed up that performance with a win at the Birmingham Classic and also enjoyed a brief stint atop the WTA singles rankings.

French Open champion Ashleigh Barty survived a first-round scare at the US Open on Monday, staving off Kazakhstan's Zarina Diyas 1-6, 6-3 6-2 after struggling to find her footing as the action kicked off at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

French Open champion Ashleigh Barty survived a first-round scare at the US Open on Monday, staving off Kazakhstan's Zarina Diyas 1-6, 6-3 6-2 after struggling to find her footing as the action kicked off at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 25-year-old Diyas took five straight games in the first set, as the world No.2 committed a string of unforced errors and got in just 25 per cent of her first serves. Barty was able to stop the pain midway through the second set, converting on a crucial break-point opportunity to take a 5-3 lead and reverse the momentum in what had been a one-sided match. "Not the ideal start, not the perfect start, but it is what it is. We were able to find a way after that to get into the match and be more patient and really just kind of lock down and wait until I got the right balls and right patterns that I wanted," Barty told reporters. "Particularly in that first set, (Diyas) was able to put the ball in an awkward position for me, in a position where I couldn't attack." The 23-year-old Australian, who reached the fourth round here last year, appeared to be back on form by the third set, getting in nearly two-thirds of her first serves and firing off 12 winners. Barty skyrocketed to fame in June when she became the first Australian woman in 46 years to win the French Open singles title after downing Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova in straight sets. She followed up that performance with a win at the Birmingham Classic and also enjoyed a brief stint atop the WTA singles rankings.

Ashleigh Barty survives first-round fright at US Open

World number one Novak Djokovic wilted under pressure from Daniil Medvedev Saturday, falling 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 to the ninth-seeded Russian in the Cincinnati Masters semi-finals.

Medvedev's upset win sent him into a title showdown with another unexpected finalist, 16th-seeded Belgian David Goffin, who defeated France's Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-4 to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 final.

A fuming Djokovic, who looked to have control of the contest in the early going, was caught out when Medvedev stepped things up in the second set.

"I don't know how I turned it around, I was so tired after the first set and I thought I might not be able to keep up the intensity," said Medvedev, who has competed in 15 hardcourt matches since July 30.

"But I had a momentum chance in the second set and the crowd gave me energy," added the Russian, who will be playing his second Masters series final in eight days, after falling to Rafael Nadal in Montreal last Sunday.

"Novak had been destroying me on second serve, so I just went for it," Medvedev said. "It's a great feeling to win and beat the number one."

Djokovic, the defending champion who was playing his first tournament since his Wimbledon triumph in July, need some time to cool down before pondering his loss.

"He deserves to be in the mix, certainly, with all his results," Djokovic said. "He's working his way to top 5. "He's definitely one of the best players in the world at this moment."

Djokovic said there was little he could do in the face of Medvedev's go-for-broke style.

"When I had my racquet on the ball I was returning also his serves, but you can't really predict someone or prepare yourself for someone serving that big second serve consistently from 4-3 to the end of the match with making maybe two double faults out of God knows how many serves," he said.

With the US Open starting on August 26, Djokovic said he took "mostly positives" from the week.

"Today I did lose a tennis match, but I didn't do too much wrong," he said. "So I'll take that and I'll move forward to New York and have a good practice week.

"I'm going to go to fight for a title as everyone else does -- and I like my chances."

Medvedev won 12 of the last 14 points in the second set to square the match against Djokovic, then ran up a 3-1 lead in the third on the way to victory on his first match point.

Kuznetsova beats Barty

There was an upset in the women's draw as well, as Russian veteran Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated top-seeded Australian Ashleigh Barty 6-2, 6-4.

Kuznetsova, a two-time Grand Slam champion who has been hindered lately by injury, will be in search of her 19th WTA title -- and her first in more than a year -- when she takes on American Madison Keys in the final. Keys, the 2017 US Open runner-up, defeated compatriot Sofia Kenin 7-5, 6-4.

Kuznetsova&nbsp;denied Barty a chance to reclaim the world number one ranking, which the Australian would have done by reaching the final.

Instead the triumph by 34-year-old Kuznetsova leaves injured Naomi Osaka atop the rankings with the US Open looming.

Barty, who had rallied from a set down in each of her previous two matches, also said she was taking positives from the week to Flushing Meadows.

"This was a week that I battled through," Barty said. "At times I played some good stuff. At times I played some pretty awful stuff.

"I've learned a lot from this week, and there are nothing but positives going into New York," she said.

Keys booked her finals spot as she won an all-American match littered with 12 breaks of serve.

She earned match points with a flick volley winner angled steeply cross-court and amazed herself with the get. "I looked at my box in shock," she admitted. "I'm really feeling great about my tennis.

World number one Novak Djokovic wilted under pressure from Daniil Medvedev Saturday, falling 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 to the ninth-seeded Russian in the Cincinnati Masters semi-finals.

World number one Novak Djokovic wilted under pressure from Daniil Medvedev Saturday, falling 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 to the ninth-seeded Russian in the Cincinnati Masters semi-finals. Medvedev's upset win sent him into a title showdown with another unexpected finalist, 16th-seeded Belgian David Goffin, who defeated France's Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-4 to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 final. A fuming Djokovic, who looked to have control of the contest in the early going, was caught out when Medvedev stepped things up in the second set. "I don't know how I turned it around, I was so tired after the first set and I thought I might not be able to keep up the intensity," said Medvedev, who has competed in 15 hardcourt matches since July 30. "But I had a momentum chance in the second set and the crowd gave me energy," added the Russian, who will be playing his second Masters series final in eight days, after falling to Rafael Nadal in Montreal last Sunday. "Novak had been destroying me on second serve, so I just went for it," Medvedev said. "It's a great feeling to win and beat the number one." Djokovic, the defending champion who was playing his first tournament since his Wimbledon triumph in July, need some time to cool down before pondering his loss. "He deserves to be in the mix, certainly, with all his results," Djokovic said. "He's working his way to top 5. "He's definitely one of the best players in the world at this moment." Djokovic said there was little he could do in the face of Medvedev's go-for-broke style. "When I had my racquet on the ball I was returning also his serves, but you can't really predict someone or prepare yourself for someone serving that big second serve consistently from 4-3 to the end of the match with making maybe two double faults out of God knows how many serves," he said. With the US Open starting on August 26, Djokovic said he took "mostly positives" from the week. "Today I did lose a tennis match, but I didn't do too much wrong," he said. "So I'll take that and I'll move forward to New York and have a good practice week. "I'm going to go to fight for a title as everyone else does -- and I like my chances." Medvedev won 12 of the last 14 points in the second set to square the match against Djokovic, then ran up a 3-1 lead in the third on the way to victory on his first match point. Kuznetsova beats Barty There was an upset in the women's draw as well, as Russian veteran Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated top-seeded Australian Ashleigh Barty 6-2, 6-4. Kuznetsova, a two-time Grand Slam champion who has been hindered lately by injury, will be in search of her 19th WTA title -- and her first in more than a year -- when she takes on American Madison Keys in the final. Keys, the 2017 US Open runner-up, defeated compatriot Sofia Kenin 7-5, 6-4. Kuznetsova denied Barty a chance to reclaim the world number one ranking, which the Australian would have done by reaching the final. Instead the triumph by 34-year-old Kuznetsova leaves injured Naomi Osaka atop the rankings with the US Open looming. Barty, who had rallied from a set down in each of her previous two matches, also said she was taking positives from the week to Flushing Meadows. "This was a week that I battled through," Barty said. "At times I played some good stuff. At times I played some pretty awful stuff. "I've learned a lot from this week, and there are nothing but positives going into New York," she said. Keys booked her finals spot as she won an all-American match littered with 12 breaks of serve. She earned match points with a flick volley winner angled steeply cross-court and amazed herself with the get. "I looked at my box in shock," she admitted. "I'm really feeling great about my tennis.

Top seeds Novak Djokovic, Ashleigh Barty toppled in Cincinnati semi-finals

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