Ashleigh Barty opts out of Australia squad for Billie Jean King Cup finals, season possible over for World No.1

Barty’s administration staff earlier mentioned she won’t defend the WTA Finals title she gained in Shenzhen in 2019 and her withdrawal from the Billie Jean King Cup may mark the tip of the 2021 season for the World No.1. Barty had missed out a lot of the 2020 season amid the Covid-19 pandemic. (Reuters Photo)HIGHLIGHTSBarty led her nation to the ultimate of the final accomplished version of the competitors in 2019Australia gained the competitors seven instances with the final title coming in 1971Barty returned to the tour this yr after lacking most of 2020 amid the pandemic and gained 5 titlesA return to court docket for Ash Barty this season seemed much less possible on Tuesday after the world primary was omitted from Australia’s staff for subsequent month’s Billie Jean King Cup finals in Prague.

The Wimbledon champion, who returned to Australia after a third-round exit on the US Open in September, led her nation to the ultimate of the final accomplished version of the competitors in 2019.The girls’s staff event was cancelled due to the worldwide well being disaster final yr and subsequently renamed in honour of American trailblazer King.Former U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur, one other Fed Cup stalwart, can even miss the Nov. 1-6 finals with world quantity 47 Ajla Tomljanovic joined by Astra Sharma and Storm Sanders in addition to debutants Ellen Perez and Olivia Gadecki within the staff.”Ajla has had an incredible year and this is a great opportunity for her to lead the team,” captain Alicia Molik mentioned in a information launch.”Storm and Astra are both tremendous team players and it’s exciting to welcome Ellen and Olivia to the team for the first time.”Australia gained the Fed Cup seven instances with the final title coming in 1971.Barty missed a lot of the 2020 season because the COVID-19 pandemic took maintain all over the world, opting to remain in Australia the place the brand new coronavirus was initially efficiently suppressed.The 25-year-old returned to the tour this yr and gained 5 titles, together with a maiden Wimbledon title on the All England Club in July.Her administration staff mentioned final month that Barty won’t defend the WTA Finals title she gained in Shenzhen in 2019 when the elite season-ending competitors returns in Mexico on Nov. 8.Anyone arriving in Australia from overseas should nonetheless endure 14 days of obligatory resort quarantine.Click right here for IndiaToday.in’s full protection of the coronavirus pandemic.