Ash retains Rome title

ASHLEIGH Barty has defended her doubles crown at the Italian Open in Rome, teaming up with new partner Victoria Azarenka to take the title.

Barty and Azarenka beat Lena Gronefeld and Demi Schuurs – who Barty won the title with last year – 4-6, 6-0 (10-3). It was Barty’s first title win with the Belarusian, who she beat a month ago in Brisbane’s Fed Cup semi-final.

The Queenslander will play singles at the Strasbourg Open this week. She is drawn to play Fed Cup teammate Daria Gavrilova in the first round in a final hitout before arriving in Paris for the French Open guaranteed a top-eight seeding for the first time.

Barty, Gavrilova, Ajla Tomljanovic, former finalist Samantha Stosur and the inform Astra Sharma will fly the flag in the women’s draw, while Gold Coast’s Kimberly Birrell and Arina Rodionova will attempt to join them when qualifying begins today.

Thanasi Kokkinakis, Jason Kubler, Marc Polmans and James Duckworth were all due to play first-round qualifying matches overnight.

Wildcard Alexei Popyrin joined countrymen Alex de Minaur, Nick Kyrgios, John Millman, Matt Ebden, Jordan Thompson and Bernard Tomic in the men’s main draw last week. De Minaur will be seeded for the first time in France after cracking the world’s top 30.