Ash Barty announces shock return to tennis at Wimbledon

Australian tennis legend Ash Barty will grace the famed grass courts of Wimbledon once again after accepting a place in the invitation doubles draw.

The 28-year-old fulfilled her childhood dream of winning at the All England Club in 2021, but she never defended her title having opted to retire after taking out the Australian Open title in 2022.

Just last month it was confirmed Barty would return to Wimbledon as a commentator — and it has now been revealed she will also make a comeback on the court.

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“Reunited with the Wimbledon grass,” the All England Club announced ahead of the grand slam beginning on July 1.

“Delighted to have our 2021 singles champion Ash Barty returning for this year’s Invitational Doubles.”

Barty gave birth to her first child, son Hayden, in July 2023.

Just months later she shared images of herself having a hit on a tennis court but the former world No.1 instead returned to competitive sport with an appearance at a pro-am golf tournament in New Zealand.

Barty bobbed up around tennis through the summer as a spectator while also unveiling her foundation.

Speaking then, she insisted she would not join fellow mums Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki and Elina Svitolina in making a comeback.

“I miss parts of it, but mostly I miss seeing my mates,” Barty said of quitting the tour.

“I miss seeing the girls that I’ve built such a relationship with over so many years, but a lot of my best mates have also retired now and they’re kind of moving on to their next chapters.

“We’ll still get out there and hit occasionally if anyone asks or any of my mates ask. But no, I’m enjoying what I’m doing now.”

It is unclear who Barty will team up with at Wimbledon.

Her former doubles partner Casey Dellacqua has previously played the legends event but whether the 2013 Wimbledon doubles runners-up reunite remains to be seen.

Wozniacki, a former world No.1 and the 2018 Australian Open champion, used the Wimbledon invitational doubles draw as a launching pad for her return from retirement last year.

The mother-of-two made it to the invitational doubles final then joined the WTA Tour, making a stunning run to the fourth round of the US Open.

Wimbledon’s legends tournament is played in a round-robin format featuring eight pairs spread across two groups, with the two top-placed teams progressing to the final.

Each pair will share in a guaranteed £24,000 ($A45,800) pay day with runners-up receiving an extra £4000 ($A7600), while the champions will receive a total of £35,000 ($A64,800).

Barty, while being kept so busy by her foundation that she has reduced her time on the golf course, said nothing in particular was keeping her away from tennis.

Except her son.

“It’s not like I’m doing things to keep myself away from the court,” Barty said.

“I want be able to be there to raise Hayden and I want to be able to enjoy that.

“That’s what I want to do, plain and simple. That’s where my priorities lie now.

“I absolutely love being mum. There’s nothing else that I prefer to do.”

– with AAP

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