Eager Barty says unfazed by local expectation

World No.1 Ashleigh Barty on Sunday tempered rising expectations of breaking her country’s 43-year Australian Open drought, preferring to simply enjoy her long-awaited comeback. The Australian last week played her first match in 11 months after opting to remain home in relatively Covid-19 free Queensland state during the pandemic and even decided against defending her […]

World No.1 Ashleigh Barty on Sunday tempered rising expectations of breaking her country’s 43-year Australian Open drought, preferring to simply enjoy her long-awaited comeback.

The Australian last week played her first match in 11 months after opting to remain home in relatively Covid-19 free Queensland state during the pandemic and even decided against defending her French Open crown.

Having not left the country, Barty was not required to undergo a two-week quarantine that was mandatory for players arriving from overseas, leading No.9 Petra Kvitova to suggest she was at an “advantage” ahead of the year’s first Grand Slam.