Ashleigh Barty set for shock Wimbledon return – ‘The band’s back together’

Ashleigh Barty will be pulling double duty at Wimbledon this year in a second surprise move by the former world No 1 following her retirement two years ago.

The two-time Grand Slam winner hasn’t set foot at the All England Club since she lifted the Venus Rosewater Dish in 2021 after defeating Karolina Pliskova in the final as she retired in March 2022, shortly after winning the Australian Open.

But just a couple of weeks after it was announced that she would join the BBC’s commentary team for the Grand Slam at Wimbledon, it has now also been confirmed she will play on the hallowed grass courts at SW19 as she has signed up for the exhibition doubles event.

Wimbledon organisers announced on social media and it was a move that was widely welcomed by the tennis community.

“Reunited with the #Wimbledon grass Delighted to have our 2021 singles champion @ashbarty returning for this year’s Invitation Doubles “, the post read.

Barty’s good friend Casey Dellacqua has confirmed that she will partner the Australian legend at the invitational event.

“I can announce that the band’s back together, ABCD,” Dellacqua told The AO Show Weekly.

“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.”

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Barty’s decision to play doubles and join the BBC’s commentary team have come as a surprise as in November 2022 she was asked if she would get behind the microphone to commentate and replied: “No, never.”

The 28-year-old, who became a first-time mother in July last year when she gave birth to a son named Hayden, has also made it clear that she has no intention of playing professional tennis again.

“I don’t have the time – I don’t have the time to train, I don’t have the time to prepare, and I have so many great memories out on this court and now I just get to create new memories,” she said in 2023.

“I’m certainly not coming out of retirement.”