Simona Halep’s defeat in Paris ensures Australian Ash Barty retains top ranking

Ash Barty will become one of only eleven women to have held the world’s top ranking at the end of a season twice.

Alexander Zverev had flu-like symptoms during his loss to Italy's Jannik Sinner

Ash Barty will become one of only eleven women to have held the world’s top ranking at the end of a season twice following Simona Halep’s elimination from the French Open.

In a truncated season, the Australian champion has not played a tournament since February and opted out of the US Open and her Roland Garros defence due to COVID-19 concerns.

But mindful of the potential pitfalls following the season resumption in August, the WTA and ATP decided to offer ranking points protection for players who were not able to travel.

Barty has not lost the ranking points earned from winning last year’s French Open and performances at other events.

The 24-year-old won the Adelaide International, reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open and in Doha and was beaten early in Brisbane by subsequent US Open semi-finalist Jennifer Brady. Retaining the No 1 ranking ensures Barty will be the top seed for next year’s Australian Open.

Halep, who has also finished world No 1 at the end of a season on two occasions, would have surpassed the Queenslander had she managed to claim the French title.

But the tournament favourite was thrashed by emerging star Iga Swiatek 6-1 6-2 in the fourth round of a Roland Garros tournament that has been overshadowed by the COVID-19 threat.

Halep had convincingly beaten the teenager from Poland a year earlier in Paris.

Swiatek, 19, played a superb match, with her power and precision from the baseline overwhelming the 2018 French Open champion.

Her assessment afterwards was succinct: “I thought I was playing perfectly.”

Halep, who claimed a Wimbledon title in 2019 and was on a 17-match winning streak, praised her rival and said she was clearly a deserving winner.

“I will have a chocolate and I will be better tomorrow,” she said.

Controversy flared at Roland Garros following the 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-3 loss of US Open finalist Alexander Zverev to Italian Jannik Sinner, who is a remarkable talent.

The German appeared unwell on court and later said he had suffered a fever leading into the fourth-round match, was feeling fatigued and struggling for to breath while playing.

Zverev last had a COVID-19 test five days ago.

Given his symptoms and subsequent admission, the German has breached a key COVID-19 protocol and exposed a loophole reliant on the good faith of players, regardless of whether he has the virus.

Tournament health and safety guidelines call for a “sense of duty and responsibility” from any accredited personnel with symptoms and requires them to adopt a “responsible attitude and not attend the stadium”.

Zverev, who drew criticism for partying in Europe just days after several players who had participated in Novak Djokovic’s Adria Tour fell ill with the virus, did not inform French officials he was ill prior to the match.

Two participants in the junior girls singles were withdrawn from the tournament on Sunday after testing positive to COVID-19.

Former Australian Open semi-finalist Fernando Verdasco was among players who were not allowed to play when tests showed coronavirus comorbidity.

The second week of the French Open will start with coronavirus rates surging in Paris.

The French Government elevated the threat alert in the nation’s capital and surrounding suburbs to its maximum level from Monday, with bars around Paris to shut immediately.

There were 16,972 new cases recorded in France on Saturday.

After an early scare, the US Open ran successfully and Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley was among those to praise US officials.

But some players have been more critical of the safety regulations employed during the French Open.

Local officials are monitoring tournaments and their guidelines closely in preparation for the summer of tennis in Australia.

Men’s world No 1 Novak Djokovic will continue his push for a second major title this year when he plays Russian Karen Khachanov in Paris on Monday.

Djokovic and 12-time champion Rafael Nadal, who plays the impressive Sinner in a quarter-final, have been dominant in their matches to date at Roland Garros.

There are only two major winners left among the women still in contention to replace Barty as the reigning French Open champion after a string of upsets.

Dual-Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova will play Zhang Shuai for a place in the quarter-finals later on Monday, while reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin plays Frenchwoman Fiona Ferro.