"It was a little bit scrappy" - Barty relieved following successful Stuttgart debut

In her first match on European clay since winning the 2019 French Open, Ashleigh Barty picked up where she left off as she fended off a challenge from Laura Siegemund at the 2021 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.

The World No.1 needed 84 minutes to defeat the 2017 champion, prevailing 6-0 7-5 after staving off a second-set comeback.

"I felt like I had to really find some good stuff tonight, and even though at times it was a little bit scrappy, I felt like it’s going to be on my terms for a lot of that match," Barty said after her win.

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Having chosen to skip the 2020 season following the pandemic, Barty was yet to play a competitive match on red clay since winning her maiden Grand Slam at Roland Garros in 2019. However, the top seed was in good form and seemed very comfortable as she maneuvered her way around the court.

"As for getting my feet wet the first match, anyone you play you have to find a way, you have to be prepared to work and be prepared to tactically find your way around the court," Barty added. "So whoever the first match was going to be, it was always going to be a perfect one in my eyes to get myself into the tournament to enjoy it."

The Australian faces the winner between sixth seed Karolina Pliskova and Jelena Ostapenko, who meet for the round of 16 clash on Thursday.