Beer drinking Barty still World No.1

Australia’s Ash Barty stays atop the WTA rankings today after a picture emerged of her enjoying a beer back in Brisbane watching her Richmond Tigers lose to Brisbane Lions in the Aussie Rules playoffs on Friday night.

After Simona Halep’s shock fourth-round defeat by Polish teenager Iga Swiatek, Barty looks liken staying No.1 into the New Year.

Barty, 24, made the Australian Open semi-finals in January but has missed the US Open and her French Open title defence, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Footage of Barty rising to her feet in the crowd, with a a beer in hand, went viral on social media in Australia, where fans hailed her a “a true icon”.

“Gotta love Ash Barty,” a local journalist tweeted.

“French Open on and beer in hand at footy. The best.”

Peter Rowe

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