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Barty, the 2019 French Open winner, was leading
6-4 2-1 against her American opponent when she called a physio
and had her right-arm strapped with a compression sleeve.
The Australian eventually decided against continuing the match
in wet conditions in Rome, allowing Gauff to book a place in the
final four.
After the match, Barty revealed she was struggling to serve
"anywhere near 100%" as heavy conditions aggravated her muscular
problem during the match.
"I hate the most is not being able to finish a tennis match,"
she told reporters.
"But the pain was becoming too severe, so it was important that
I listen to my body and of course try and do the right thing,
knowing that we have a Grand Slam in two weeks' time."
Barty said it is a pre-existing arm issue which her team has
been managing throughout her career.
"It just pops up every now and again," she added. "I think the
conditions today certainly didn't help that, but we're confident
we know how to manage it. So we just move on and know that the
right decision was made today."
Barty missed the 2020 claycourt swing due to the COVID-19
pandemic but has returned even stronger this season, winning the
title in Stuttgart before finishing runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka
in Madrid last week.
The 24-year-old now faces a battle to prove her fitness before
the French Open, which begins on May 30 in Paris.
Meanwhile, Gauff has progressed to her first WTA semi-final on
red clay at the age of 17. She will face the winner of the
quarter-final between reigning French Open champion Iga Swiatek
and Elina Svitolina.
(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in BengaluruEditing by Christian
Radnedge)
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