- Ash Barty has revealed her feelings about returning to play at Wimbledon
- Mother of one of them says she has no plans to return permanently to the court
- She will make a one-off appearance at Wimbledon with Casey Dellacqua
Former world number one Ash Barty has spoken about returning to play at Wimbledon for the first time since winning the tournament in 2021 and whether she will make a permanent return to the sport.
Barty, 28, will rejoin the grass courts of the All England Club for the first time since her epic triumph after agreeing to take part in an invitational doubles match with former doubles partner Casey Dellacqua.
It will be the first time the three-time Grand Slam champion has taken to the court since announcing her shock retirement in March 2022.
Barty, who has since retired married and become a mother, will play the exhibition match on Tuesday 9 July (UK time).
“The tournament invites you to play on one of the best courts in the world and I get to play with my best friend. Who would say no?” he told 7NEWS on Monday.
‘It was a strange feeling to walk through the doors again because it wasn’t memories that came to mind – the forehands or backhands or the serves or the match point – it was the emotions that came with that moment.
“It will always be an important part of my life.”
Asked if she was thinking about returning to the court for good, Barty was adamant.
Ash Barty (pictured) has spoken about returning to play at Wimbledon for the first time since winning the event in 2021.
The tennis great will participate in an invitational doubles match with his former doubles partner and friend Casey Dellacqua.
“Not for me, I’m very happy,” he said.
“I have had the most rewarding journey of my tennis career and now I am beginning that journey as a mother.”
Since her retirement, Barty’s only competitive sporting involvement has been in the New Zealand Open pro-am event, where she put her golfing skills to the test.
She has been reluctant to pick up a competitive racquet and has repeatedly said that despite retiring at such a young age, she had no intention of playing full-time again.
In 2021, Barty ended Australia’s 41-year drought at Wimbledon, 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 winning the Australian Open in 2022 and announcing her retirement two months later as the current world number one.
Barty (pictured with 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 Australian said she was excited to return to Wimbledon (pictured in 2021)
The former world number one recently announced that she will be part of the BBC’s 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 Grand Slams has been minimal.