Ashleigh Barty pips injured Bianca Andreescu to Miami Open title retention

Ashleigh Barty defended her Miami Open title on Sunday with a 6-3, 4-0 (retd.) win over Bianca Andreescu in the final. In the second set, the Canadian who looked to be visibly struggling with an injury called for the trainer before retiring after going down two breaks.

This was the first meeting between the two players and although eventually fell short of living up to the hype, in her post-match presser, Barty said that it was the precedent for more such meetings to follow.

Miami Open: The Ashleigh Barty-Bianca Andreescu rivalry takes its form

“It's never the way you ever want to finish a match, particularly in a final. I really do feel for Bianca. I think she's had such a rough trot with injuries in the past. I think that's going to be one of the first of many battles for us. I just hope from now on they are healthy and we can both stay out on the court and fight for everything that we can give. Obviously, I feel for her having to pull out today,” Barty said.

Barty has now 12 straight matches in the tournament going back to her first winning run here, in 2019. She’s also the sixth world no. 1 to defend the Miami Open title and the first world no. 1 since Serena Williams in 2015 to do so.

Speaking about her successful title defence, Barty added, “I felt like with each match I have been playing better and better, which is ultimately what we are after. To be able to have the title at the end is a bonus, and to be able to defend my title the first time in my career I've been able to do that is really, really special too.”

Meanwhile, while Ashleigh Barty is assured of retaining her grip on the no. 1 ranking for at least the next month, Bianca Andreescu’s Miami Open heroics will see her climb to sixth place in the ranking on Monday, 5th April.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2PPbQk9