Queensland tennis legend Ash Barty to return to the court in an international exhibition match at Wimbledon

Tennis great Ash Barty is set for an emotional return to the Wimbledon arena to play for the first time after her retirement sent shockwaves through the sport.

Queensland tennis great Ash Barty is set to return to Wimbledon this year, after receiving an invitation back to the court for an exhibition match.

The triple-Grand Slam tennis champ shocked the world in 2022 when she announced her retirement from competitive tennis.

Since then, Barty has married her long-term partner Garry Kissick and welcomed baby Hayden in July 2023.

Ash Barty is heading back to Wimbledon

For the first time since 2021 when she won Wimbledon, Barty will take to the grass courts where she will play in the exhibition match on Tuesday, July 9. The event will include women’s doubles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles.

Wimbledon officials made the announcement on social media, declaring they were “delighted” to have the 28-year-old back.

Since her retirement, Barty’s lone competitive sporting hitout was in the New Zealand Open pro-am event, where she tested her golfing skills.

Ash Barty during her winning Wimbledon 2021 final. Picture: Supplied

In 2021, Barty ended Australia’s 41-year drought at Wimbledon, becoming the first player since her idol, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, to lift the singles trophy.

She also revealed to the Courier Mail in 2021 the secret post-match moment that links Cawley and Barty forever.

“Not a lot of people know that in that locker room there are no photos - but this day after the final there was one put up of Evonne,’’ Barty told the Courier Mail in December 2021.

“One of the coolest moments came when I got back and the locker room ladies had put this black and white photo of Evonne when she won 50 years ago on the door as I walked past.

“I got a photo of myself holding up my (Wimbledon’s) members pin for the first time in front of that photo of Evonne. I just cannot wait to show Evonne that photo. Because she will understand how mysterious the Wimbledon’s women’s locker room is.”

Barty had previously won the French Open in 2019 – the first Australian woman in 46 years to do so – before claiming the Australian Open in 2022 and announcing her retirement two months later as the reigning world No.1.