Ashleigh Barty has withdrawn from next week’s Indian Wells Masters, throwing the future of her season into jeopardy.
The world number one hasn’t played since losing to Shelby Rogers in the third round of the US Open, with her coach Craig Tyzzer revealing she felt “tired and fatigued.”
The Australian has enjoyed a successful year so far –– winning titles on all surfaces and claiming her second major at Wimbledon. Her form has seen her lead at the top of the rankings stretched to almost 3000 points –– ahead of Belarusian star Aryna Sabalenka.
But the 25-year-old has taken the decision to pull out of the California based event, despite its reputation as one of the biggest tournaments on the tennis calendar. Indian Wells has the highest average attendance outside of the four Grand Slams and the second-largest tennis stadium in the world, after the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.
Barty joins a number of other reputable names in pulling out of this year’s competition, including Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams.
While her non-inclusion will not impact her qualification for the WTA Finals in November, there are questions over Barty’s participation in any more events in 2021.
Indeed, with the Finals to be played in Guadalajara, Mexico, Tyzzer spoke of the challenging conditions that may prompt the world number one to withdraw.
"We only just found out it's in Mexico at 1500 metres (above sea level) and they're using pressure-less balls," he told AAP.
"Pressure-less balls absolutely fly. It's a ball that if you use it in normal conditions, it doesn't bounce.
"In conditions they've never played, in a country they don't play and at altitude, I just feel it's ridiculous.
"As a spectacle, it's just frightening."
With the Australian’s participation in doubt, this raises questions over tennis’ gruelling schedule. This year there has already been four Grand Slams as well as the Olympics, and there is still more to come.
Given the likelihood that players will have to quarantine over Christmas should they want to play in the Australian Open next year, tennis’ top stars will barely have an off-season and next to no time to recuperate.
If the WTA wants to showcase the world’s best players all year round, it may be in their best interests to re-evaluate the schedule and perhaps even the locations of some of these tournaments, so as to better support the preferences of its players.