Australian Open: Ash Barty caught flouting virus rules

World number one tennis champion Ash Barty has been forced to apologise after being spotted shopping in Melbourne without a mask.

Ash Barty leaves after a training session in Melbourne. Picture: Alex Coppel.

World number one tennis champion Ash Barty has been forced to apologise for flouting Victoria’s coronavirus regulations, after she was spotted shopping in Melbourne without a mask.

The Australian tennis star was spotted maskless at a Coles supermarket in Prahran in the city’s inner east on Thursday, despite the state requiring masks be worn inside indoor shopping centres and large retail outlets to stop further spread of the virus.

Barty issued a statement soon after, acknowledging the oversight.

“I accidentally forgot to wear a mask in a supermarket today,” she said.

“I apologised as soon as I realised my mistake. I understand we all need to do our bit to keep the community safe and I will be better next time.”

The mishap comes as Barty weighed in on the controversy surrounding some of her international colleagues, who had been complaining about Victoria‘s quarantine requirements ahead of the Australian Open.

She said “understood the frustration … but keeping Melburnians safe and making sure we put health first has to be the priority”.

The champion has been based in Melbourne for several weeks and has the advantage of not having to enter hotel quarantine like her international competitors.

Barty, who has not played a competitive match since she was a semi-finalist in Qatar last February, has been training at the Xavier College tennis courts in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs along with fellow Australian players, including John Millman and Dylan Alcott.