Tennis superstar Ash Barty surprised everyone with her shock retirement announcement when she was just 25 years old. Still high on her Australian Open win only two months prior, Ash revealed that it was time to focus on other dreams.
“I achieved my dreams. Everyone has different dreams and different ways of defining success. But for me, I knew that I gave everything I could. And I was fortunate to live out my ultimate childhood dream.
“Now it was time for me to explore what else was out there and not be, I suppose, greedy in a sense of keep playing tennis because that’s what I was expected to do, and then you blink and maybe the other things have passed you by.”
DREAMING OF A FAMILY
As it turns out for Ash, one of those things she didn’t want to miss out on was starting a family. She and husband Garry welcomed their first child, a beautiful baby boy named Hayden, on 3 July 2023.
Ash has beautifully taken on the role of mum, saying it’s the “best thing” she’s ever done.
However, it seems Ash had been ‘keeping mum’ as to what would come next for her, both on and off the court!
SHOCK WIMBLEDON RETURN
The three-time grand slam champion took to social media to announce that she’s returning to the grass courts at Wimbledon for the first time since her big win in 2021. Ash has agreed to take part in an invitational doubles match!
The exhibition match takes place on Tuesday, July 9th (UK time). And the epic event will include women’s doubles, men’s doubles and mix doubles.
Wimbledon officials made the first announcement of her return on social media, sharing they were delighted to have the tennis legend back.
“Reunited with the Wimbledon grass,” Wimbledon shared.
“Delighted to have our 2021 singles champion Ash Barty returning for this year’s Invitational Doubles.”
“THE BAND’S BACK TOGETHER”
Even better, she’s taking to the courts along with her close friend and former doubles partner Casey Dellacqua. The pair made three grand slam finals together, including the Wimbledon final in 2013.
“I can announce that the band’s back together, ABCD,” Dellacqua said on AO Show Weekly, making cute use of the pair’s initials.
“This is why I love tennis, because it doesn’t matter at what level, I get an opportunity to play with my best mate who, yes, is an extremely good player and has won the championships before.
“We’re just gonna have a great time and enjoy just being back together as friends on a tennis court, which we have loved to do our whole life… I’m actually really excited about it.
“We’re now in a different stage of our life. We’ve both got kids, we chat about different things, but hey, the tennis doesn’t change.
“The tennis is always there. And that’s what kind of is the glue that brought us together. So we’re really lucky.”
AN EXTRAORDINARY COMEBACK
While it might only be a one-off for now, insiders suggest once Ash gets a taste for being back out there again, she’s sure to want to win more comps. And this could be just the teaser for the three-time grand slam winner to make one of the most extraordinary comebacks in tennis history.
A source says this was always at the back of Ash’s mind, even before she stepped away to raise her son Hayden with husband Garry.
“Like everything Ash does, her game plan was well thought out to ensure she had left the door open for the chance of a comeback,” says an insider.
Of course, this month also marks Hayden’s first birthday, so the timing for a return couldn’t be more perfect.
AT THE TOP OF HER GAME
“She has never been fitter and happier and those who know her well have said she is mentally and physically the strongest she’s ever been,” shares a tennis insider.
“After the birth of Hayden, she realised that while the early stages of motherhood were challenging, she’s even surprised herself how easy it has been to get her fitness back. Anyone who knows the sport of tennis knows she’s in the best form she’s been in years.”
Of course, the epicentre of Ash’s life is the couple’s little boy. But now that he’s a little older, the source says, she wants to show him that his mum is one very strong and determined woman.
“Imagine if she was to win the Wimbledon singles title one more time. How special it would be for her to look up in the stands and give a special wave to her firstborn, who will one day realise that his mum is one of Australia’s most treasured sporting heroes,” reveals the source.
THE RUMOURS WERE RIGHT
Spotted not too long ago, Ash and Aussie surfing sensation Steph Gilmore met up at a tennis and surfing clinic for school children in Northern NSW. It seems the two former world No. 1 superstars were a real hit with the kids. The children ate up every word as Ash talked passionately about her love of the game.
‘Ash has made sure to keep her foot in the tennis world.’ (Image: Getty)
Even then there was mounting speculation around a possible comeback bubbling away. A well-placed source revealed there were plenty of reasons to think that the three-time grand slam champ wasn’t quite done yet!
“It’s been very telling over the past few months, especially after she and husband Garry [Kissick] welcomed little Hayden in early July, that Ash has made sure she’s keeping her foot in the tennis world,” a source told Woman’s Day.
“From being front and centre when they announced her hometown event the Brisbane International would be returning at the end of this year, and her ongoing support of the Australian Open, along with these regular tennis clinics she’s involved with at the grassroots level – by the looks of it, there’s a very real chance she could go around one more time!”
Renowned on the tennis circuit as someone who plays her cards close, she’s been more of an open book of late. During one of the tennis clinic’s Q&A sessions, she explained to the kids how she uses five key words – calm, clear, present, sharp and fun – to reset herself when she feels under pressure during matches.
DEALING WITH PRESSURE
Ash admitted that thinking about these words could ease her mind, especially if she was feeling “cornered” in a tough game. She later told the group, “It’s nice to be out with kids and you sometimes forget how much fun that group environment is.”
“I loved hitting the slice,” Ash told kids in Pottsville. (Image: Supplied)
Then, Ash had ruled out any suggestion she would play full-time again when she addressed the media at the Brisbane International event launch in September. She said, “I don’t have the time – I don’t have the time to train, I don’t have the time to prepare.”
“I’m certainly not coming out of retirement,” which begged the question, could she instead be considering a comeback in the doubles?
SPECULATION WAS BREWING FOR AWHILE
“Ash is great mates with Caroline Wozniacki, also a new mum, so that would be a doubles match made in heaven!” said the source. They also said that no one would be surprised if she teamed up with close friend Casey Dellacqua either. They played doubles together when Ash was just starting out at age 15.
“Casey has retired too, so to see them both come back would cause such a stir!” the source spilled.
“A sensational pairing would see Ash in the mixed doubles with one of the Aussie Special Ks: Thanasi Kokkinakis or Nick Kyrgios.
“There’s a real chance that Thanasi could convince Ash to play again. They go way back to 2018 when they teamed up in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon. That will surely get the fans excited. But I’m not sure Nick would be happy with that!”
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