Italian Open: Ashleigh Barty Retires Injured In Rome, Says Confident For French Open Return

Ashleigh Barty was leading 6-4, 2-1 in the italian Open quarter-final against Coco Gauff but pulled out with an arm injury.

World number one Ashleigh Barty retired injured in the Italian Open quarter-finals on Friday, just two weeks before Roland Garros. Top seed Barty, the 2019 French Open champion, was leading 6-4, 2-1 when she pulled up to receive treatment during her match against American Coco Gauff. The Australian suffered a right arm injury, the WTA said. "The pain was becoming too severe," said Barty. "It was really important that I listen to my body knowing we have a Grand Slam in two weeks' time." Barty added: "It's something I've had to manage over my career. "It pops up every now and again. The conditions today didn't help," she said of the rainy conditions in the Italian capital.