SYDNEY: After winning both the singles and doubles titles at the Adelaide International, top-ranked Ash Barty has decided she doesn’t need any more tournament action before the Australian Open.

Barty announced on Monday that she’d travel directly from Adelaide to Melbourne Park and skip the Sydney Tennis Classic.

Geographically, that makes sense — it’s much easier to get directly from Adelaide to Melbourne. But from a career standpoint, having a week off to fine-tune ahead of the first Grand Slam tournament of the year is more important.

“It’s been an extraordinary week. We’ve been able to play lots of matches in singles and doubles,” Barty said on Monday. “We’ve had plenty of court time, which is great.”

Former French Open champion Iga Swiatek, who fell to Barty in the Adelaide semis, also withdrew from Sydney.

“After a tense pre-season and last week’s tournament in Adelaide I feel like my body needs more time to recover before @australianopen,” the Pole tweeted, adding that she had some pain in her lower rib area.

Swiatek was due to open her Sydney tournament against US Open champion Emma Raducanu, who missed the Melbourne Summer Set event last week as she continued to recover from coronavirus.

Later on Monday, Nick Kyrgios also pulled out of the Sydney tournament after contracting the coronavirus, placing him in doubt for the Australian Open which begins next Monday.

There are joint ATP-WTA tournaments this week in Adelaide and Sydney ahead of the Australian Open.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova beat Arantxa Rus 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 at the Sydney tournament later on Monday.

Estonian world number seven Anett Kontaveit swept past China’s Zhang Shuai 6-3, 6-3 while Spain’s Paula Badosa beat former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko 7-6 (7-1), 6-1.

In the evening session, Tunisian seventh seed Ons Jabeur was flawless on serve as she made light work of local hope Astra Sharma, racing to a 6-1, 6-3 win.

Russia’s Daria Kasatkina pulled off a surprise win against 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, prevailing 6-4, 6-0 over the American in just over an hour.

Among the men, Belgium’s David Goffin won his first-round match 6-4, 6-4 against Argentina’s Facundo Bagnis, while Australian Jordan Thomson, Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego and Finland’s Harri Heliovaara were also winners.

At the Adelaide International 2 tournament, American Madison Keys brushed past Ukrainian second seed Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-4 in the opening round.

Czech sixth seed Marketa Vondrousova fought back from a set down to beat Viktorija Golubic 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 and set up a clash against Croatia’s Ana Konjuh.

In the men’s event, Spaniard Jaume Munar made light work of local John Millman, breaking the Australian’s serve twice in both the first and the second set for a 6-2, 6-2 win.

Australian qualifier Alexsandar Vukic beat sixth-seeded Alexander Bublik 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 and American seventh seed Frances Tiafoe was defeated 6-2, 6-3 by compatriot Tommy Paul.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2022