LOS ANGELES • Australia's Ashleigh Barty, the top-ranked female tennis player in the world, has pulled out of the WTA Indian Wells singles draw, the tournament organisers announced on Monday.

"Ash has withdrawn from Indian Wells to come home and see her family in Australia," Barty's manager Nikki Mathias said in a statement yesterday.

"She has been away from home since March and with the two-week hotel quarantine requirement to come into Australia, it has not been possible for her to return home before now."

He added that the 25-year-old has made no decision on the rest of her season after withdrawing from next month's WTA 1000 event in California, which was already suffering from the absence of several leading players, including Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams.

The Australian has had a demanding stretch on the road this year, which has seen her lift five titles. She competed in two previous Indian Wells events, with her best result being a last-16 appearance in 2019.

Barty's pullout has also put her participation in the WTA Finals, to be held in November in Guadalajara, Mexico in doubt.

The Finals, contested by the world's top eight singles players and best eight doubles pairs, was moved from Shenzhen in China after last year's event was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Earlier this month, Barty's coach Craig Tyzzer said she might not defend her WTA Finals title because of challenging conditions in Guadalajara.

"We only just found out it's in Mexico at 1,500m (above sea level) and they're using pressureless balls," he said.

"Pressureless balls absolutely fly. It's a ball that if you use it in normal conditions, it doesn't bounce. In conditions they've never played, in a country they don't play and at altitude, I just feel it's ridiculous."

Meanwhile, Emma Raducanu's outfit from her victorious US Open campaign will be displayed at the Tennis Hall of Fame after the 18-year-old became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam.

Raducanu defeated Canada's Leylah Fernandez in the Flushing Meadows final earlier this month to become the first British woman to win a major singles title for 44 years, climbing 128 places to 22nd spot in the world rankings.

"A legendary run: preserved," tweeted the Tennis Hall of Fame.

"Thank you, @EmmaRaducanu, for donating your memorable #USOpen outfit to the ITHF collection!"

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS