Ash Barty's admission about baby son as tennis fans dealt sad blow at Australian Open
The Australian tennis legend has shut down talks of her becoming a tennis mum saying her focus lies elsewhere.
Ash Barty has dashed hopes that she may return to the tennis court and join the growing number of mums on tour, saying she is focusing on other things. Fellow former Australian Open champions Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki and Angelique Kerber all made grand slam comebacks at Melbourne Park this week but less than two years after shocking the tennis world by walking away from the sport at just 25, Barty insists she won't be joining them.
"I won't be one of them," she told AAP on Wednesday. "I miss parts of it, but mostly I miss seeing my mates. 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.
HUGE: Lleyton Hewitt's son Cruz in massive Australian Open development
'ZERO RESPECT': Tomljanovic opponent's 'disgraceful' act re-kindled after win
HOW GOOD: Nick Kyrgios' epic reaction after Thanasi Kokkinakis stunner
"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."
Barty has immersed herself in mum life, enjoying spending her time with six-month-old son Hayden and focusing on the foundation she launched on Monday. The Australian tennis great says neither her son nor the foundation is keeping her off the court, tennis is just no longer where her priorities lie.
"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 mum. There's nothing else that I prefer to do."
Ash Barty rules out golfing career change
Following her tennis retirement, Barty was seen enjoying multiple golf outings, sending tongues wagging about a potential sporting switch. The avid golfer, however, denied golf was anything more than a hobby, admitting she has hardly got out on the greens.
"I've played once in the last seven months," Barty said. "The foundation is not quite full-time but I want to be involved. 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."
Ash Barty proud and full of hope for her foundation
On Monday, Barty launched the Ash Barty Foundation, a charity that will assist underprivileged communities and young people in chasing their goals. Speaking about the charity, Barty said it was a dream come true and hoped it would inspire, educate and provide opportunities for the next generation.
"To see it come to life is something I'm incredibly proud of," she said. "This almost feels like it can be more of an important contribution than hitting a tennis ball. I've always said that tennis was what I did, it wasn't who I am. This is something that I get to do now and it's a passion."
- with AAP
Sign up to our newsletter and score the biggest sport stories of the week.
