Ash Barty has made her first appearance at the tennis since her shock retirement from the sport last March, posing for photos with Iga Swiatek at the United Cup in Brisbane. Barty stunned the tennis world last year when she walked away from the sport just two months after winning the Australian Open.
She hasn’t been seen at a tennis match since, preferring to spend the majority of her time at home with family and friends. But on Wednesday night she was back in the arena that she made home for so many years, making a rare appearance at the United Cup
The former World No.1 posed for photos with new No.1 Swiatek – the Polish superstar who has taken Barty’s mantle and made it her own. Swiatek had a breakout year in 2022 following Barty’s retirement, cementing her status as the best in women’s tennis.
Barty had previously said she was impressed by Swiatek’s reign as World No. 1. “She is a breath of fresh air and she has completely and utterly dominated this season,” she said last year. “She has been a level above, a head above the rest, and it has been amazing to see her flourish.”
Speaking before the United Cup, Swiatek said Barty had been an inspiration to her. The pair only got to play each other twice, with Barty winning both encounters – in Madrid in 2021 and Adelaide in 2022.
“I didn’t really think it’s possible for me,” Swiatek said about Barty’s retirement. “When she retired, I felt mixed emotions because I felt like she still has the best tennis out there. She really inspired me to work harder and her different game style made me realise that there is always room for improvement.
“At first I felt like I wasn’t sure if this is kind of my place to be. Ash, she seemed like a huge role model for everybody in terms of her behaviour on court but also off court.
