Ash Barty will be returning to Wimbledon this year….in a playing capacity! Sadly the 3-time Grand Slam champion won’t be making any professional comeback, but Wimbledon has announced that the Queenslander will play an exhibition doubles event at the place of her greatest triumph in 2021.
Less than a year after her Wimbledon victory, Barty shocked the tennis fraternity by essentially dropping the mic on her career just two months after also taking out the Australian Open.
Barty has continuously been asked about a comeback, but has consistently batted those calls away, kind of like she did on the cricket pitch during her first hiatus from tennis.
She has always said her main focus in this phase of her life, is her son Hayden, who was born two years ago with her partner Garry.
“It’s not like I’m doing things to keep myself away from the court,” she said. “I want be able to be there to raise Hayden and I want to be able to enjoy that
“That’s what I want to do, plain and simple. That’s where my priorities lie now. I absolutely love being a mum. There’s nothing else that I prefer to do.”
Barty had already planned on doing commentator duties at the tournament, but someone behind the scenes must’ve twisted her arm to pick up the racket for an Invitational Doubles hit. The event will take place on the second Tuesday, (July 9) and will include a women’s doubles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles match.
Don’t get Excited About a Full-time Return Though
While the tennis world would love to see Barty back in a full-time capacity, she has frequently insisted she won’t be following the likes of Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka in coming back to the sport after having children. Although clearly there is some part of her that misses the tour life.
“I miss seeing the girls that I’ve built such a relationship with over so many years, but a lot of my best mates have also retired now and they’re kind of moving on to their next chapters. We’ll still get out there and hit occasionally if anyone asks or any of my mates ask. But no, I’m enjoying what I’m doing now.”
Barty was never one who really enjoyed the travel aspect of the gruelling tennis circuit, so it is very hard to imagine her doing all that with a child in tow.
Ash Barty is one of Australia’s greatest tennis players. She held the world number 1 ranking for 121 weeks, and also reached the top 5 in doubles, taking out the 2018 US Open title with Coco Vandeweghe.
She has 3 major titles to her name, the 2019 French, 2021 Wimbledon, and the 2022 Australian Open, as well as 15 WTA singles titles.
Follow The Tennis Site on ‘X’ and Facebook: @thetennissite
Follow Todd Scoullar on ‘X’: @toddscoullar
