Ashleigh Barty, the three-time Grand Slam winner and former world No 1, has revealed her biggest regret following her retirement from tennis and addressed rumors about a potential comeback. Barty, who retired at the age of 25 in March 2021 after winning her home major, the Australian Open, admitted that she misses the camaraderie with her fellow players on the tour.
I miss parts of it, but mostly I miss seeing my mates, the 27-year-old said. 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.
Since her retirement, Barty has been enjoying life away from tennis. In the year following her retirement, she married her long-term boyfriend Garry Kissick, and a few months later, they announced that they were expecting their first child. In July 2023, Barty gave birth to a baby boy named Hayden.
With the return of fellow tennis mothers Caroline Wozniacki, Elina Svitolina, Angelique Kerber, and Naomi Osaka, speculation has arisen that Barty could also make a comeback. However, she expressed her love for being a mother and emphasized that nothing is holding her back from playing tennis.
There’s nothing keeping me away. It’s not like I’m doing things to keep myself away from the court, Barty said. I want to 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 a mum. There’s nothing else that I prefer to do.
While Barty is relishing her role as a mother, she is also keeping busy with her foundation. Recently launched at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, the foundation allows Barty to give back to the sport she loves.
The foundation is not quite full-time but I want to be involved, Barty revealed. It was the reason I waited until I had finished playing and had retired so that I had more time to commit. It wasn’t something that I wanted to do just when I could fit it in. My dad’s a chair, one of my sisters is on the board, which is great, and the other one, we’re in discussions every day. I’m very grateful that we’ve got such an amazing team, and it’s really nice to do it with people that I love and trust, and people that have the same philosophies and values.
As Barty continues to enjoy her time away from professional tennis, fans can rest assured that she is content with her decision to focus on motherhood and her foundation. While rumors may circulate about a potential comeback, Barty’s love for being a mother remains her top priority. As she navigates this new chapter in her life, her friends, fans, and the tennis world will continue to cheer her on and support her in all her endeavors.
