The Australian Open 2021 will also mean the return to competition of Australian Ashleigh Barty after almost a year without competing because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Barty, what Despite not playing since February 2020, she remains at the top of the WTA ranking, she will participate in the Adelaide exhibition tournament along with other great rackets such as Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, Naomi Osaka or Simona Halep.
In statements collected by the Australian media The Age, Barty was very excited to return to compete. “I am really looking forward to playing my first game of the 2021 season in Adelaide. I have very fond memories of last year's Adelaide International and it will be great to be back on track at 'A Day at the Drive.”
It will be Barty's first contact with the competition after the Doha tournament in February 2020, where he lost in the semifinals to Petra Kvitova. The Australian returns wanting to make up for the time she has not been able to play and win her first Australian Open.