Former World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty Announces Her Second Pregnancy
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Ashleigh Barty will become a mother again after her pregnancy was confirmed by a joint Instagram post.
It has been nearly three years since Barty retired from professional tennis. That decision stunned tennis fans worldwide because she was still at the top of women's tennis at the time.
Barty won the 2022 Australian Open without dropping a set. She was the world No. 1 at the time of her retirement and looked destined to win several more Grand Slams and become one of the greatest WTA players ever before stepping away from the sport in March 2022.
Winning three Grand Slams means Barty has already established herself as a tennis legend. However, it is almost certain that she would have ended her career with more titles if she kept playing.
Barty admitted after retiring that her motivation dropped after winning Wimbledon in 2021, which was the 27-year-old's childhood dream. She defeated Karolina Pliskova in three sets in that final.
Although fans miss watching Barty's unique brand of tennis, she has kept herself busy since retiring. That included releasing children's books that received positive reviews from fans.
Barty also commented on this year's Wimbledon Championships. The former WTA world No. 1's commentary was received even more positively than her books because it gave insight into the mind of a modern champion.
The 2019 French Open champion also started a family after retiring. She and her husband, Garry Kissick, welcomed a son on July 2nd, 2023. It has now been revealed that the pair will soon expand their family.
Kissick shared an Instagram post of her son in front of the Christmas tree in Barty and his home. Their son is wearing a shirt with "I'm going to be a big brother" on the back while facing away from the character.
Barty's husband wrote a short caption along with the picture, making it even clearer that the married couple is expecting another child to add to their family.
"Merry Christmas to our growing family to yours!"
That is wonderful news for Barty and Kissick. The former Wimbledon champion has spoken openly about how much education and the rights of children mean to her, and having a second child will allow her to support another child into the world.
Although Barty is now retired, WTA players pausing their careers to start families is becoming more common. For example, Belinda Bencic returned in the closing months of 2024 after going on maternity leave at the end of last year.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova also went on maternity leave in 2024. In contrast to Bencic, the Czech is uncertain if she will ever return to professional tennis because the pregnancy was complicated and difficult for her.
Female players feeling empowered to make their own choices is positive. Barty's decision to retire caused widespread shock, but she had the courage to make the best decision for her. That deserves to be respected worldwide.
