Australian Open 2021 news - 'The sun will come up' - Ash Barty heartbroken by quarter-final exit

ByEurosport

Updated 17/02/2021 at 07:49 GMT

Ash Barty confessed to being heartbroken at coming up short in the Australian Open quarter-finals on Wednesday. The 2021 Australian Open is live on Eurosport. Watch every match live and ad-free on the Eurosport app and eurosport.co.uk. You can download the Eurosport app for iOS and Android now. The opening Grand Slam of the season in Melbourne runs from February 8 until February 21.

Ash Barty confessed to being heartbroken at coming up short in the Australian Open quarter-finals on Wednesday but did not want the shock defeat to distract from her successful return to tennis after a year on the sidelines.

The world number one returned to the tour for the Melbourne Park warm-up tournaments after staying at home to try to sit out the Covid-19 pandemic, running up an eight-match winning streak before Wednesday's 1-6 6-3 6-2 loss to Karolina Muchova.

"It's heartbreaking, of course," said Barty, who was hoping to become the first homegrown Australian Open champion since Chris O'Neil in 1978.

Australian Open

'I'm really grateful for her' - Swiatek says Barty has been a 'huge inspiration'

16/01/2024 at 17:52

"But will it deter me? Will it ruin the fact we've had a really successful start to our season? Absolutely not. The sun will come up tomorrow.

We go about our work again. You're either winning or your learning. We won't let ... this particular hour of tennis deter us from what we're trying to do.

• Muchova roars back from medical timeout to stun Barty
• Order of play

Highlights | Ashleigh Barty - Karolina Muchova

In her news conference, Barty channelled her time as a cricketer to repeatedly bat back suggestions that Muchova had gamed the system by taking a medical timeout after losing the opening set.

She instead focused on her inability to take back the momentum once the revitalised Czech started playing her best tennis in the second and third sets.

"I felt like I lost control of the ball a little bit," Barty said.

"I felt like I lost my way with overplaying, overpressing, not letting myself work into the points and really construct points as well as I'd like to."

'Incredible, I'm stunned' - Reaction to shock Barty defeat to Muchova

Barty said she had entered some upcoming tournaments in the Middle East and would make a final call on where to play after assessing the health risks.

"I think the health of my team and myself will always be the priority ... we'll make the right decisions for the right reasons," the former French Open champion added.

"Being back on the tour has been fantastic. I've loved every second, even though at times it is frustrating. That's the name of the game. That's the sport that we play."

Additional reporting from Reuters

- - -

A head-turning offer for head-turning tennis. One-month premium subscription for just 99p on the Eurosport app and eurosport.co.uk.

Australian Open

Muchova to miss Australian Open due to ongoing wrist injury

29/12/2023 at 10:15

WTA Finals

'Heartbroken' Muchova withdraws from WTA finals, Sakkari steps in

24/10/2023 at 10:05

US Open

Gauff into US Open final against Sabalenka after 50-minute protest delay

08/09/2023 at 06:32