Ashleigh Barty insisted she is a worthy world number one after defeating Bianca Andreescu on Saturday to retain her Miami Open crown. The 24-year-old Australian star served notice of her determination to be a force this season with a 6-3, 4-0 victory as Andreescu retired with a foot injury in the second set.
Barty — who had already been assured of holding on to her No 1 ranking before Saturday’s final — has faced sniping from some players over her continued presence at top spot.
However, Barty shrugged off the criticism on Saturday following her Miami win, rejecting a suggestion that her latest title “proved” she deserved her No 1 status.
