"Ashleigh Barty chose not to play Indian Wells and Miami, which is regrettable; when you're No. 1, you have a certain responsibility" - Justine Henin

Seven-time Grand Slam champion Justine Henin recently gave her two cents on Ashleigh Barty pulling out of the upcoming Indian Wells Open and Miami Open. Speaking via Eurosport as part of their Legend's Voice series, Henin remarked that it was regrettable that the World No. 1 chose to skip the Sunshine Double.

The Belgian opined that being the top-ranked player came with certain responsibilities, the most important of which was to show up at the biggest tournaments. The 39-year-old declared that Barty's participation in her capacity as World No. 1 would help make events look more legitimate in the eyes of the public.

Furthermore, the former World No. 1 also pointed out that the Australian's presence would have helped to create "real rivalries" that formed the backbone of the sport. Henin could not help but agree with those who criticized the 25-year-old for skimping on the trip to the United States.

"[Ashleigh Barty] chose not to play in Indian Wells and Miami, which is regrettable. When you're No. 1, you have a certain responsibility, so I can understand the critics who say we need the best players - especially in the women’s game - to be present at the biggest tournaments in terms of achieving visibility," Henin said.

"When they’re not always there and competing, it means you can miss out on creating real rivalries. We don’t need to have the same player winning all the time, but we need players to have an ongoing presence at tournaments," she added.

In the same breath, however, Justine Henin conceded that it was not fair to blame Ashleigh Barty without considering two important factors. The first was the COVID pandemic, a situation so unprecedented that it was impossible to even imagine how players had been coping over the last two years.

"But there are two big things to also consider here. First, Covid - this period has been so unprecedented, so we can't judge," Henin said. "We can only try to imagine what the players have been through these last two years."

The second factor was the World No. 1's recent triumph at the Australian Open, where she defeated Danielle Collins in the final to win her third Grand Slam title. Ashleigh Barty won the tournament without dropping a set, and in the process became the first Australian in 44 years to win a singles title on home soil.

Though the title run seemed easy on paper, Henin had no doubt that it was an incredibly stressful two weeks for the three-time Grand Slam champion.

With both those reasons in mind, the Belgian hoped that fans would cut the World No. 1 some slack and wait until the end of the year to see if she made the right decision by forgoing the two WTA 1000 events in the United States.

"Secondly, Ashleigh Barty is an Australian who has just won the Australian Open. History shows how difficult that is. Even though it seems like it was a walk in the park for her, it must have been a lot to handle and it was probably a grueling two weeks," Henin said. "We'll have to see what happens as the season pans out and we'll know later on if her decision was right."

The WTA has a great No. 1 with Ashleigh Barty, she 200% deserves to be there: Justine Henin

Justine Henin had no qualms about declaring that Ashleigh Barty deserved her status as the World No. 1

Justine Henin praised Ashleigh Barty's intelligence and grit, saying that no one deserved to be World No. 1 more than the Australian. In addition to praising her game intelligence, Henin was astounded by how Barty took breaks at the right time to keep herself healthy and still managed to make comebacks at the same level she left.

"The WTA has a great No. 1 with Ashleigh Barty. She is undeniable and deserves 200% to be there! I like her intelligence in the way she manages her career. Ashleigh Barty has always been in tune with herself, she has made strong choices and has embraced the need to pause when she feels it’s right to."

"I think it says a lot about a player who decides not to play for a long time but comes back at the same level. Since her victory at Roland-Garros, she has been impeccably consistent," Henin said.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion further praised the Australian for her level-headedness, noting that she also had a strong sense of determination that was often overshadowed by other aspects of her game.

"She may be criticized for a lack of charisma but I really appreciate her personality. She has her feet on the ground, which is her strength," Henin said. "You can obviously talk about her tennis, but a lot can be said for her determination, simplicity and intelligence."