Ash Barty reveals she’s making a shock return to playing tennis at Wimbledon this year
- Aussie, former world number 1, stunned by retirement in 2022
- Won the women’s singles title at Wimbledon in 2021
- Grand Slam officials are ‘delighted’ to have her back
Retired superstar Ash Barty will be reunited with the grass courts of Wimbledon for the first time since her epic triumph in 2021 after agreeing to take part in an invitation-only doubles event.
It will be the first time the three-time Grand Slam champion has appeared in court since announcing her shock retirement in March 2022.
Barty, who has married and become a mother since her retirement, will play the friendly on Tuesday, July 9 (UK time). There will be women’s doubles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles.
Barty is pictured holding the trophy after winning the 2021 Wimbledon women’s singles title, just under a year before her shock retirement
Wimbledon officials are ‘delighted’ that the Australian will once again appear on perhaps the most famous tennis courts in the world
The Queenslander’s 2021 victory (pictured) followed her first Grand Slam singles title at the 2019 French Open
Wimbledon officials made the announcement on social media, stating they were ‘delighted’ to have the 28-year-old back.
Since her retirement, Barty’s only sporting success came at the New Zealand Open pro-am event, where she tested her golf skills.
She was reluctant to pick up a racket competitively and has repeatedly said that despite retiring at such a young age, she had no intention of returning full-time.
In 2021 at Wimbledon, Barty ended Australia’s 41-year drought and became the first player since her idol, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, to lift the singles trophy.
Barty had previously won the French Open in 2019 – the first Australian woman to do so in 46 years – before claiming the Australian Open in 2022 and announcing her retirement as reigning world No. 1 two months later.
Barty (pictured this year with son Hayden) has become a mother since leaving the sport and has repeatedly said she has no plans to return to the court, despite being only 28 years old
The former world number 1 recently announced she will be part of the BBC TV commentary team for this year’s Wimbledon tournament.
She gave birth to son Hayden in July last year, after which tennis stars such as Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur told her to return to the sport.
Since Barty’s retirement, the presence of Australian women at the grand slams has been minimal.
Even in London, the draw automatically includes the top 108 female players, meaning only Daria Saville and Arina Rodionova make the cut-off.
Ajla Tomljanovic, who fought her way into the quarter-finals at the grass court event in Birmingham, should be able to enter the tournament with a protected ranking, while a host of others will qualify.