"I deserve spot on top of rankings" - Barty fires back at critics

Ashleigh Barty has been the world number one since the pandemic started and after retaining it with her Miami Open victory she spoke on the topic.

The rankings in the world of tennis have always been a polarizing topic but since the rankings essentially froze during the pandemic they have been mostly the topic of controversial talks and claims. One such claim, widely popular among tennis fans, is that Ash Barty does not deserve the number one spot which she held since the pandemic started.

As it's well known she decided to skip the majority of the 2020 campaign following the pandemic and she was still able to retain her number one ranking prompting many to proclaim Osaka the 'deserved' number one. For Barty there is no doubt who should be number one:

"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."

She continued by saying:

"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."

She also responded to the critics saying Osaka deserved the number one spot over her saying:

"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."