Barty sets sights on big finish
ASH Barty will bid for a rousing finish to the tennis year in Singapore and China in the last fortnight of her season.
Barty, who has not played for three weeks due to an arm injury, will play her first doubles match tomorrow at the WTA championships in Singapore with American CoCo Vandeweghe.
Next week, Barty will play in the WTA trophy tournament in China for the best performing players of the year who did not qualify for Singapore.
Barty and Vandeweghe, who have won two WTA doubles titles together this year including the US Open, will meet fourth seeds Elise Mertens and Demi Schuurs.
Barty said on a brief return to Queensland last month that she wanted to finish the year well before pre-season training aimed at the Australian circuit, starting at Perth’s Hopman Cup from December 30.
As Australia’s highest ranked singles player, the 22year-old is well placed to be awarded both the Ashley Cooper Medal for Queensland’s best performed player of the year, presented on Saturday night in Brisbane, and also the national John Newcombe Medal next month. Barty won both honours last year.
Meanwhile, Brisbane’s Jason Kubler will fall out of the top 100 following his second round loss at the Traralgon Challenger in Victoria.
Kubler dropped 13 places to No.110 on live rankings with his 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-3 loss to Britain’s Brydan Klein.
Klein, 28, won an Australian Open junior title while representing Australia, but changed allegiance after a series of on-court disciplinary issues and is ranked No. 309.
Australians John Millman and Matthew Ebden were also sent packing in the first round of the Basel, Switzerland tournament yesterday.