Ashleigh Barty To Return To Tennis Courts For Special Event In Brisbane

Wednesday, 25 December 2024 at 06:10

byErik Virostko

Ashleigh Barty will return to the tennis courts at the 2025 Brisbane International for a special event.

The 28-year-old Australian has retired from the sport almost three years ago. Her retirement came out of nowhere shortly after she won the 2022 Australian Open.

As a fan favorite and a beloved player home in Australia, Barty's retirement was a tough pill to swallow for many fans. For months after her retirement, the former WTA World No. 1 was constantly asked about her comeback.

However, she always remained strict in her approach, explaining that there was no possibility of a comeback. Now, almost three years after her retirement, Barty appears near tennis courts every now and then.

In 2024, she made an appearance at some matches, and in 2025, fans will get a chance to see her on the tennis courts again, and it will happen at the 2025 Brisbane International, which is a WTA 500 event running from December 29th to January 5th.

Barty is obviously not on the entry list for the 2025 Brisbane International. Instead, she will play an exhibition match with Pat Rafter and some active ATP and WTA players.

The match will happen on the opening day of the tournament, on December 29th, 2024, as part of a charity showcase, which will launch the Brisbane International Family Fun Day.

Barty's foundation, the Ash Barty Foundation, also appears on the t-shirts worn by the ballkids in Brisbane, as the former player is the Ballkids Ambassador in Brisbane.

Speaking about the event, which is part of the work that her foundation does, Barty was happy that she could appear on the tennis courts once again.

"I’m grateful to the Brisbane International team for providing me with an opportunity to raise awareness for the Ash Barty Foundation and to engage with young Australians throughout the tournament."

"I have been fortunate in terms of my journey but not all kids have that same experience. “The Ash Barty Foundation’s goal is to provide more opportunities for boys and girls to discover what they love to do and to give them the ability to follow their dreams."

"I am incredibly proud of the work we have done so far, but it’s only the beginning. It will be a lot of fun to hit on the court with Pat Rafter and friends for the charity match and to meet many young tennis fans."

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Cameron Pearson, who serves as the tournament director for the Brisbane International was naturally delighted that Barty would entertain the crowd in Brisbane.

"Ash has had such a huge impact in Australia and worldwide through her sporting achievements and on top of that she is a Queensland local and adored by all."

"We are proud to have Ash as the Ambassador for the Brisbane International ballkids, and to also partner with Ash Barty Foundation for the Family Fun Day."

"Having Ash and Pat Rafter on court together will be a great spectacular for all tennis and sporting fans and great way to launch our Family Fun Day."