Ashleigh Barty poses for a photo with her French Open title last year. (Getty Images)
Ash Barty had to pull out from the 2021 French Open midway due to a freak injury
World No.1 Ashleigh Barty made a winning start to her 2021 French Open Campaign, albeit via. a hard fought win over Bernarda Pera. She then faced Pole Magda Linette in the second round.
After going down 1-6 in the first set, and with the scores level (2-2) in the second, Barty pulled out from the match due to a hip injury. Linette was given a walkover.
More information has surfaced regarding her injury. In a Tweet from WTA Insider it has been learned that her hip injury happened during a serve.
Barty even revealed that she somehow pulled it off past round 1 with the injury. And with the pain not getting better she had to pull out.
This is what Barty had to say about her injury:
“As far as we can tell, it was literally acute, landing on the serve one day and that’s all she wrote. Small miracle that we were able to get on court in that 1R. Today it was no better and getting worse.”
The Australian was also distraught because she was having an excellent season in the clay courts:
“It’s heartbreaking. We have had such a brilliant clay season and to get a little bit unlucky with timing more than anything…and just run out of time is disappointing. It won’t take away from the brilliant three months that we have had as much as it hurts right now.”
It has been more than 4 years since Serena Williams last won a Grand Slam. The 23 time Grand Slam winner will be looking forward to taking advantage of this year’s French Open pullouts.
Before the tournament began World no.3, Simona Halep pulled out of the French Open. And a couple of days ago, Osaka who has been a puzzle for Williams, pulled out due to depression.
And now, it is Barty. With the top 3 of the WTA rankings already out of the tournament, Williams will be hoping to capture the ever-evading 24th Grand Slam.
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