French Open 2021 - Ashleigh Barty digs deep to battle through injury and see off Bernarda Pera

It was tough at times for the former Roland Garros champion Ash Barty during her first round match in Paris but a break to receive some treatment from the trainer turned things around for her as Bernarda Pera really struggled to recover her form. Barty will face the winner of Chloe Paquet against Magda Linette.

World number one Ashleigh Barty looked far from her best but still managed to beat American Bernarda Pera in three sets 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

Barty took the opening set without too many problems but she definitely was short of fluency.

And whatever fluency she had completely deserted her during the second set, where her less experienced opponent was allowed to dominate.

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What was most surprising was how passive Barty looked, with Eurosport commentators Simon Reed and Annabel Croft saying it looked as if she was “in a straightjacket.”

In the deciding set she had to get the trainer on for a medical time out very early on.

Whether it was the help of the trainer or the break impacting her opponent the tide completely turned after that and she saw out the match with ease as Pera struggled to recover her form.

Barty will now face the winner of Chloe Paquet against Magda Linette.

'This is so special for me!' - Barty overjoyed to be back at French Open

Video credit: TNT Sports

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Watch all the action from the 2021 French Open live on Eurosport, eurosport.co.uk and the Eurosport app with 13-time champion Rafael Nadal eyeing a remarkable 14th title and 2020 Roland Garros sensation Iga Swiatek aiming to replicate her stunning triumph.

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