Barty pulls out of WTA Finals to focus on Australian Open preparations

Canberra, October 23 (BNA) World number one Ash Barty will not defend her title in the WTA Finals in Mexico next month, after the Wimbledon champion decided to end her season in 2021 early.

Reuters reports that Barty won the season-ending championship when it was last held in Shenzhen in November 2019, but the Australian will not travel to Guadalajara for this year’s event, which runs from November 10-17.

“I wanted to tell everyone that I will not compete in any other tournaments in 2021, including the WTA Finals in Mexico,” Partey said in a statement. “It was a tough decision but I need to prioritize my body and my recovery from the 2021 season and focus on having the strongest preparation of the Australian summer.”

Barty returned to Australia in September after being knocked out in the third round of the US Open, effectively ending a season in which she won five titles including Wimbledon. She had previously been left out of the Australian squad that will play in the Billie Jean King Cup finals next month in Prague.

The 25-year-old will now focus on preparing to host the Australian Open in January, as she seeks to improve her run to the quarter-finals in 2021.

“With the continued challenges of returning to Queensland and quarantine requirements, I am not willing to compromise on my preparations for January,” she said. “My focus now is on the Australian summer and doing everything in my power to win the Australian Open. I can’t wait to play at home again.”

NS