Ash Barty has been snubbed for a second time after the world number one tennis player’s second round match was put on court number two at Wimbledon.
Instead of taking on Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck on the showpiece Centre or No.1 Court in the afternoon, the French Open champion will continue her campaign in the morning round of matches.
Wimbledon officials have opted instead to showcase British battler Cameron Norrie’s match against Japanese eighth seed Kei Nishkori for the Centre Court curtain-raiser.
The snub comes on the back of the Seven Network’s controversial decision to air the all-Australian battle between Nick Kyrgios and Jordan Thompson on Tuesday instead of Barty’s first-round match against China’s Zheng Saisai.
The move immediately sparked outrage among fans online with some accusing Wimbledon organisers of sexism.
World number one Ash Barty’s second round match was placed on court number two on Thursday
‘The women’s world number 1 and reigning French Open Champion should not be on court 2! Put her where her ranking deserves – on the worlds biggest stage! Disgraceful and sexist yet again!’ one person tweeted.
Fox Sports Australia’s Adam Peacock hit out at the club tweeting: ‘Yes, Australian Open favours Australians. But does it treat world numbers one like that?’
‘Hey @Wimbledon just a reminder that [Ash Barty] is the number 1 seed not seeded 28th. Court 2 – Utter joke. Would never see [Novak Djokovic] booted off to court 2,’ said another.
Court One’s first match will see two-time champion Petra Kvitova meet France’s Kristina Mladenovic – the last player to beat Barty before she embarked on her 13-match unbeaten run.
Another Brit, Jay Clarke, then plays eight-times men’s champion Roger Federer before seven-times women’s winner Serena Williams takes on Kaja Juvan.
Instead of taking on Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck (pictured) on the showpiece Centre or No.1 Court in the afternoon, World number one Ash Barty will play her second round match on court two
Barty said pre-tournament she wasn’t bothered where she played.
‘There isn’t a bad court at Wimbledon so wherever I’m scheduled to play on, we’ll go out there and do our best,’ she said.
‘The size of the court, they’re all the same. The lines are the same.’
The class act also shrugged off the unpopular move of Seven to take off their screens action showing Australia’s best female player since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in her first match as world No.1.
‘If people can watch my matches, great,’ Barty said after her first-round win.
‘If they can’t, they can’t. That’s up to the broadcasters, not me.’
Kyrgios also believes Australia have the right to watch Barty ahead of him and said the 23-year-old deserved to have the whole nation behind her.
‘What she’s doing is incredible. I knew as soon as she got her head right and wanted it enough, the sky’s the limit for her,’ Kyrgios said.
‘I knew deep down she was always capable. When she took that year off, came back, she seemed to be refreshed.
‘Now she’s winning grand slams. It doesn’t surprise me at all.
‘I’m happy that she’s got all the support. She deserves it.’
Tennis fans slammed Channel Seven for airing Nick Kyrgios’ match rather than Barty’s match
An All England Club spokesperson said in a statement to AAP: ‘As always, the scheduling of the order of play each day at The Championships is a complex operation’.
‘We take great care when scheduling matches and allocating courts.
‘All decisions are made with fairness and the best interests of the tournament, players, spectators and our worldwide broadcast audience at heart.’
On Tuesday, furious fans took to social media in droves, calling out the network because they ‘stayed up’ to watch newly-crowned world number one Barty in action.
‘@7Sport why are you putting Kyrgios on? It’s a joke! Ash Barty! Have you heard of her?’ one person wrote.
‘So why is Nick Kyrgios currently on and we are getting ”updates” on Ash Barty?? It’s a complete disgrace – she’s Number 1 in the world!! Would never happen if Federer or an Australian male was Number 1!’ another commented.
‘Genuine question: Why is Channel 7 (7Two) broadcasting Nick Kyrgios – the world’s Number Whatever male player – when at the very same time Ash Barty – the world Number 1 female player – also an Australian – is playing? Seven, there is something seriously wrong with your judgement,’ another person wrote.
Barty’s first round saw her win a straight-sets victory over Saisai, securing her spot in the second round of Wimbledon.