Barty retains Miami Open title as injured Andreescu retires
Sports Desk, Apr 3 (efe-epa).- World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty held onto the Miami Open title she won in 2019 – the event was cancelled last year due to coronavirus – as an injury forced Bianca Andreescu to withdraw from Saturday’s final before the end of the second set.
The Australian won the first set and was leading 4-0 in the second when the Canadian decided she could not continue after hurting her ankle.
Andreescu, 20, had the medics tape-up her ankle between the third and fourth games, but quickly concluded that she would not be able to complete the match.
“Definitely not the way I wanted to end the tournament, but I’m super-grateful nonetheless,” she said afterward. “I got to the final in one of my first tournaments in a while and I couldn’t be more happy.”
After winning the 2019 US Open, Andreescu suffered a knee injury that stopped her from competing in 2020 before the pandemic shut down the season.
Barty came into Saturday’s final already assured of remaining the world No. 1 for at least the next five weeks thanks to Naomi Osaka’s upset loss in the quarterfinals to Maria Sakkari.
Even so, the 24-year-old was delighted to hoist the Miami Open trophy for a second time.
“Hopefully, it’s going to be a long and successful season. It’s a brilliant start,” the 2019 French Open champion said, referring to her wins in Miami and at the 2021 Yarra Valley Open in Melbourne.
Next up for Barty is the Volvo Car Open, a green-clay event in Charleston, South Carolina, where she will face Misaki Doi or Yaroslava Shvedova in her first match. EFE
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