'I deserve the No.1 ranking, says Miami Open champion Ashleigh Barty

Post defending her Miami open title against Bianca Andreescu, Ashleigh Barty insisted that she deserves to hold the number one spot in ATP rankings. After winning the first set 6-2, Ashleigh Barty was leading 4-0 when Bianca Andreescu retired due to a foot injury.

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Barty had often faced sniping from some players over her consistent presence at the helm of the rankings despite not playing a single tournament last year. However, the Australian gave an apt reply to her critics by retaining her Miami Open title.

She said that she is aware of the talks about her rankings and asserted that the other players had an opportunity to improve their rankings. The 24 year champion said that she has nothing to prove.

"I never have to prove anything to anyone... I know all the work that I do with my team behind the scenes... I know there has been a lot of talk about the ranking, but I didn't play at all last year and I didn't improve any of my points whatsoever."

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"Yes, I didn't drop, but I didn't improve any. I didn't play any at all. There were girls who had the chance to improve theirs, so I felt like I thoroughly deserve my spot at the top of the rankings.

The 2019 French Open champion, Barty has been at the helm of the rankings since September 2019.

"The year we had in 2019 was incredible, incredible for us, and, you know, to be able to build on that now since the restart for us has been great. We come out here and do the best that we can regardless of what anyone is saying. So I never feel like I have to prove anything to anyone."

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Few people suggested that Naomi Osaka, who won the 2020 US Open and 2021 Australian Open deserves to be the new No 1. However, Barty said that she is unfazed by her critics.

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. That's absolutely fine. I can't control what anyone else thinks or what anyone else says. I feel like we deserve to be top of the rankings."

"It doesn't ever really get to me. I mean, it's just what people say and I can't change their opinion, so it doesn't stress me out at all."

Barty’s next major tournament will be WTA event in Charleston next week.