“Tough for Her”: Former Player on Ashleigh Barty’s Complicated Travel Itinerary During Coronavirus Pandemic

World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty has arrived in Paris, ready to compete at the French Open 2021. In her career so far, she has claimed one Grand Slam title, which was at Roland Garros in 2019. 

Over the past year, the pandemic has hit tennis. Due to COVID-19, a number of tennis tournaments around the globe have exercised a number of rules and regulations. In Australia, there is a minimum 14-day quarantine. Any individual entering the country has to mandatorily undergo this before returning to normal activities. 

Quarantine protocols in Australia make it tough for players

Australian player Ashleigh Barty has found it tough to comply with quarantine rules since tennis players have to travel around the globe for various tournaments. Therefore, she has opted to set a base outside her nation in order to be part of these tennis tournaments.

Recently, former Austrian player Barbara Schett sympathized with Barty and stated, “It was very hard for Barty to leave Australia and understand that she is going to be away for so long. She won’t go back until the US Open and that is tough for her because we know how much of a home girl she is.” 

Ashleigh Barty has had a good season so far in 2021

Barely half the season is over, and there are still a lot of tennis tournaments to be played before Ashleigh Barty can make her way home. During her time away from home, the Australian player has won a couple of events. She has raised her level of play this season and has a good chance of winning another Major this year. 

Keeping this in mind, Schett added, “So she has played so well considering she is away from home for so long. She has won a couple of events, played well, and deserves to be the world’s No.1. The next step will be winning another Grand Slam title, but she has barely played over the last year and when she has been on the court, she has looked like the player to beat.”

At this moment, like any other player, Barty is preparing herself for the French Open 2021, which begins on May 30. She will be playing her first match against Bernarda Pera. 

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