Ashleigh Barty has withdrawn from the Australian Open doubles event with an abdominal strain, casting doubt over her fitness for Sunday’s fourth-round singles showdown with Maria Sharapova.
While declining to specify the exact nature of her injury, Barty had said she was “all good” and had no concerns following her third-round win over Maria Sakkari on Friday.
But Australia’s big title hope has since opted to reduce her heavy workload, pulling out of her scheduled second-round doubles match on Saturday with Victoria Azarenka against Americans Jennifer Brady and Alison Riske.