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Aussie golden girl Ash Barty takes to the court against Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova in Australian Open blockbuster
- Ash Barty battles against Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova at Australian Open
- The world No.1 is heading into the match with a heavily strapped left thigh
- There are fears the Australian’s injury is much worse than she is letting on
- Barty won the first set 6-2 after going down a break in the opening game
Women’s world No.1 Ash Barty has taken the first set 6-2 in her third-round Australian Open clash against Russian power hitter Ekaterina Alexandrova.
The blockbuster match would have drawn a massive crowd but fans have been locked out after a snap five-day lockdown was ordered in Victoria after a cluster of Covid cases breached hotel quarantine.
It was a shaky start for the Australian golden girl who went down a break in the opening game in front of an empty Margaret Court Arena at Melbourne Park.
But the local favourite who came into the match under an injury cloud fought back, breaking the world No.32’s serve four times in the opening set.
Broadcast commentators called Barty’s recovery ‘a surgical performance’.
Australia’s Ashleigh Barty arrives before her third round match against Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova
Ash Bary lets loose with a powerful serve against Ekaterina Alexandrova during their third round match at the Australian Open
The 24-year-old pulled out of open doubles match yesterday amid concerns the she may have a thigh strain that’s more serious than she is letting on.
Barty and American Jennifer Brady were scheduled to play Aryna Sabalenka and Elise Mertens in the second round on Friday but handed the second seeds a walkover.
Australia’s singles top seed raised eyebrows when she had her left thigh heavily strapped during Thursday’s 6-1 7-6 (9-7) second-round win over Fed Cup teammate Daria Gavrilova.
But she played down the injury, with Team Barty on Friday saying it was merely ‘muscle soreness’ after a gruelling schedule of seven matches in less than a fortnight following almost a year-long layoff.
‘The bandage is very big, but that’s more just support so that the tape itself doesn’t fall off,’ Barty said ahead of her third-round clash with 29th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova on Saturday.
‘It’s not a very subtle tape job. You often see it on a lot of the girls.
Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova hits a forehand return to Australia’s Ash Barty during their third round match at the Australian Open
Barty is pictured playing a forehand shot against Ekaterina Alexandrova during their third round match at the Australian Open
‘The guys can hide it beneath their shorts a little bit better. Just a little bit of support. I played a lot of matches in the last 10 days after not playing for 12 months, which is natural.
‘It’s more of an assistance than anything else.’
Barty said she first felt the niggle while warming up for Tuesday’s first round.
‘But, yeah, obviously it’s not affecting the way that I can play in any way,’ she said.
‘It’s just more giving the leg some assistance to make sure it doesn’t get to a point where it’s going to affect me.’
Barty hits a slice backhand return to Ekaterina Alexandrova during their third round match at the Australian Open
Ashleigh Barty of Australia serves in her Women’s Singles third round match against Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia during day six of the 2021 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on February 13, 2021
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