Pregnant Ashleigh Barty was photographed while she was on on a tennis court! But this is not her return to the WTA Tour. The Australian tennis star has returned to wield a racket for a great cause, and to make children’s dreams come true.
As reported by the Mail online, Ash fulfilled the dreams of over 140 Aboriginal children when she launched the National Indigenous Tennis Carnival in Newcastle, NSW.
Barty said aboiyt her retirement and her life: “I’ve said this time and time again, two cracks at tennis were more than enough. I am absolutely satisfied, happy and content. I have different things, different dreams and different ways I would like to contribute to community sports. My athletic days are over.”
She also said: “It’s a chance for our kids to meet each other, try new things and get culturally involved. It’s amazing to see, that’s what it’s about, it’s about trying new things for the first time. I’ve been so grateful and appreciative for my journey through tennis and beyond now, but still being connected and being able to contribute in ways like this, particularly with First Nations youth, is my passion.
I love it. I’ve had several role models role throughout my life, starting with my mother and my sisters, and then professionally evolving into Evonne Goolagong and Cathy Freeman, they are both exceptional people and great role models in the sense of what they did in their field, on the pitch, on the track, but also their contribution after retirement, that’s something I’d really like to emulate.”