No queue jumping from Ashleigh Barty as she confirms she got Covid-19 vaccine in the United States

Ashleigh Barty in action

World No 1 Ashleigh Barty was one of several players to get the Covid-19 vaccine through a WTA Tour initiative in the United States in recent weeks.

The Australian was eligible for the Johnson & Johnson vaccination after competing in the Volvo Car Open in Charleston a fortnight ago.

Barty and her coach Craig Tyzzer took up the offer, but she insists they didn’t get preferential treatment.

“We were looking at different avenues to try and get vaccinated without jumping the queue in Australia to see what our options were, and we weren’t able to get much of an answer before we left in March,” she said.

“We were able to get the vaccine, as were a lot of other players, through the Tour and that they had organised through a certain pharmacy that had extras, and that was important to me knowing that those who were the most vulnerable were able to get it first.”

After missing the second half of the 2020 season having opted not to return to the WTA Tour due to the coronavirus, Barty travelled outside of Australia for the first time in March.

She is pleased to have some extra “protection” while competing across the globe.

“It was nice to know that we have got that small layer of protection,” she continued.

“We still do the right things and abide by all the rules and the guidelines set in place by the Tour but knowing that we had that little bit of extra protection puts us at ease a bit more.”

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