Retired Australian tennis champion Ash Barty added another accolade to her Wimbledon palmares, finishing runner-up alongside close friend Casey Dellacqua in a rare comeback to the tennis court.
The former doubles partners reunited for the legendary tournament at the All England Club and reached the final after remaining unbeaten in the group stage.
In the final, the Aussies faced a formidable duo: Kim Clijsters, the former fiancée of Lleyton Hewitt, and Martina Hingis, former world number 1, who won 6-3, 6-2 to secure the title without dropping a set in any of their four matches.
Despite their loss, Barty and Dellacqua had big smiles on their faces as they enjoyed the cheerful invitational category.
It is the fifth time the duo have reached the final of a Grand Slam doubles event without winning. They have previously reached all four finals, including three times in 2013 alone.
Dellacqua, who has reached three other finals with other partners, joked about her record: “I’ve come second eight times now.”
“ABCD forever,” she wrote on social media, sharing a photo of herself and Barty holding their second medals. Barty responded warmly: “Love ya mate.”
Good friends Ash Barty (right) and Casey Dellacqua worked together on the legends doubles tournament at Wimbledon
Lleyton Hewitt’s former fiancée Kim Clijsters faced the Aussies in the final
Clijsters and the former Australian world number 1 met at the Australian Open in 2000 (pictured together in 2002)
Clijsters was joined by former world number 1 Martina Hingis and they won the title together
Barty, the former world No. 1 who retired in 2022 and gave birth to son Hayden the following year, had originally gone to Wimbledon as a commentator.
However, she couldn’t resist reuniting with Dellacqua for the legends event, their first match being moved to Centre Court after compatriot Alex de Minaur withdrew with an injury.
The duo began their Wimbledon comeback by beating Andrea Petkovic and Magdalena Rybarikova 5-7, 6-3, (10-7).
Despite the competitive setting, the match was light-hearted, with Barty enjoying the banter with her old friend, laughing at her rusty mistakes and taking pride in the occasional brilliant shots.
“It felt incredible. This is obviously where I have some of my most cherished memories and it’s really nice to be back on the pitch with my best mate. It’s pretty special,” Barty said.
Barty returned to court for the first time since her shock retirement and the birth of her first child Hayden
Dellacqua joked that losing in the final meant she had been runner-up eight times
Hingis and Clijsters (pictured together) showed that they have lost none of their class on the field, despite both being retired long ago.
Reflecting on her move to Centre Court, she added: ‘Yes, it was a big surprise. It was a really nice surprise. I was making lunch for my son at our house when I got an email saying we had moved to Centre.
“I called Casey right away and said, ‘This is a bit different than what we signed up for!’ But we were excited.”
“It’s a beautiful course. It’s, in my opinion, the best course in the world. I was very grateful and very fortunate that we were able to share an experience there again today.”
Australia had a significant presence in all three of the legends’ finals. Hewitt partnered former Wimbledon finalist Kevin Anderson in the men’s event, but the legendary Bryan brothers, Bob and Mike, won 6-1, 6-4.
In addition, Mark Woodforde, the 58-year-old former world number 1 in doubles, partnered Dominika Cibulkova in the mixed tournament and won 6-3, 6-2 against Barbara Schett and Nenad Zimonjic.