Tennis: Former champion Barty to play Wimbledon invitation doubles
London: Former World No.1 Ashleigh Barty will return to Wimbledon this year in the legends’ invitation doubles draw, partnering fellow Australian Casey Dellacqua. Australian player Barty, who won three Grand Slam singles titles before retiring from tennis, will be reliving her success in doubles by playing in this event. “I can announce the band’s back together, ABCD,” Dellacqua told The AO Show Weekly on Thursday.
Barty, the 2021 Wimbledon champion, retired from professional tennis in March 2022 after winning her third major at the Australian Open. Last July, she gave birth to her first son, Hayden.
Between 2013 and 2017, Barty and Dellacqua won five WTA Tour doubles titles together, as well as reaching four Grand Slam finals — including Wimbledon 2013, where they lost the final to Hsieh Su-Wei and Peng Shuai. Dellacqua, 39, retired from the sport in 2018 and currently works as a commentator.
That’s another role Barty will be taking on this year. The 28-year-old will also be joining the BBC’s commentary team during Wimbledon.
Main draw action at Wimbledon begins on July 1, with the invitation events starting on July 9.