- The former Australian world number one, surprised with his retirement in 2022
- Won the women’s singles title at Wimbledon in 2021
- Those responsible for the Grand Slam are “delighted” to have her back
Reinstated superstar Ash Barty will be reunited with the grass courts at Wimbledon for the first time since her epic triumph in 2021 after agreeing to take part in an invitational doubles match.
It will be the first time that the three-time Grand Slam champion takes to the court since announcing her surprising retirement in March 2022.
Barty, who since retirement has married and become a mother, will play in the exhibition match on Tuesday, July 9 (UK time). The event will include women’s doubles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles.
Barty is pictured with the trophy after winning the Wimbledon women’s singles title in 2021, just under a year before her shock retirement.
Wimbledon officials are “delighted” to have the Australian appear once again on arguably the most famous tennis courts in the world.
The Queenslander’s 2021 triumph (pictured) followed her first Grand Slam singles title at the French Open in 2019.
Wimbledon officials made the announcement on social media, stating they were “delighted” to have the 28-year-old back.
Since his retirement, Barty’s only competitive sporting success was in the New Zealand Open pro-am event, where he put his golf skills to the test.
She has been 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, Barty ended Australia’s 41-year Wimbledon drought, becoming 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 in 46 years to do so, before claiming the Australian Open in 2022 and announcing her retirement two months later as the current world No. 1.
Barty (pictured with her son Hayden this year) has become a mother since leaving the sport and has repeatedly said she has no plans to return to the court despite being just 28.
The former world number one recently announced that she will be part of the BBC television commentary team for this year’s Wimbledon tournament.
She gave birth to her 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 Australian women’s presence at the Grand Slams has been minimal.
Even in London, the draw automatically includes the top 108 ranked players, meaning only Daria Saville and Arina Rodionova will make the cut.
Ajla Tomljanovic, who made her way to the quarterfinals in the grass event in Birmingham, should be able to enter the tournament using a protected qualifier, and many others are set to enter qualifiers.