Ash Barty gives Andy Murray the cold shoulder as she charges into quarters of Birmingham tournament

It seems everybody is in love with Australia’s Ashleigh Barty at the moment, everyone except former world No. 1 Andy Murray after a surprise pre-Wimbledon development.

Ash Barty plays a return to Jennifer Brady at the Nature Valley Classic in Birmingham. Picture: Getty Images

• Barty in the groove but ‘nothing’s changed’

Andy Murray has revealed he was rejected by Ashleigh Barty to play mixed doubles at Wimbledon.

Jubilant after returning to competition after hip surgery with a doubles win at the Fever-Tree Championships at Queen’s Club, Murray said he approached Barty during the French Open.

“I’ve been rejected a couple of times so far — in the nicest possible way, of course!” Murray said in his BBC Sport column.

“One of those people was Ash Barty.”

Pointing out Barty had made the decision before winning a maiden singles grand slam in Paris, Murray said the Queenslander did not want to play singles, doubles and mixed at Wimbledon.

“Of course, I understood that,” the former world No. 1 said.

“She also said ‘There’s many better out there than me.’

“Then a few days later she won the French Open, so I fired her a message saying I told her she was one of the best — but she still rejected me!”

Like many others in tennis, Murray has long held a healthy appreciation for Barty’s game.

Last year, Murray initiated ‘#askandy’ on Twitter, where a user asked him to name a young female player who he thought had a bright future.

Murray replied ‘Ash Barty’.

SERVED UP: WHY COURT SAYS BARTY WILL BE NUMBER ONE

Ashleigh Barty has brushed Andy Murray.

Andy Murray is feeling a little left out.

“It is a shame we can’t play together because I want the best partner possible,” he said.

“I’m sure I will find another great partner, providing I feel good enough to play the men’s and mixed doubles.

“That said, I need to wait and see how I’m feeling first.”

Murray combined with Feliciano Lopez to eliminate Queen’s Club top seeds Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian Cabal in his first match since the Australian Open in January.

Doubting he would ever play again, Murray underwent radical hip surgery before making a swift comeback.

He is not certain if his body will hold up to the rigours of singles at this stage.

Murray’s revelation comes as Barty is three wins from becoming the first Australian woman in 42 years to hold the world No. 1 ranking.

With her ninth successive victory — a 6-3 6-1 triumph over American Jennifer Brady — the French Open champion can overtake Naomi Osaka at the head of the rankings if she makes the finals.

But she must first deal with five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams in the quarter-finals.

Ash Barty plays a return to Jennifer Brady at the Nature Valley Classic in Birmingham.

The possibility of soaring to the top of the rankings is the latest unlikely scenario in Barty’s improbable return to the sport from cricket in 2016.

Osaka’s hold on the No 1 mantle was loosened with a 6-2 6-3 loss to Yulia Putintseva, leaving her only 207 rankings points in front of Barty.

Now into the quarter-finals, Barty can bridge the gap by advancing to the Nature Valley Classic final in Birmingham.

Barty’s idol Evonne Goolagong (1976) is the last Australian woman to sit atop the world rankings mountain.

Barty is undefeated since falling in straight sets to Frances Kristina Mladenovic in Rome last month.

It’s nine matches unbeaten now for Ash Barty.

Venus Williams is next on the menu for the Aussie star.

“I feel like I’m playing some great tennis,” Barty said.

“I think the work that we have been doing over the last, you know, 12-18 months in particular, but over the last three years is kind of all coming together.

“The stars have aligned a little bit for me, and I think when you get those opportunities you have to do your best to take them with both hands.

“That’s what we have been able to do over the last month in particular, but, yeah, I mean, I feel like I’m comfortable in my own skin.

“I feel like I know exactly how I want to play in most matches, and it’s just about going out there trying to execute as best I can.”

Originally published as Ash Barty gives Andy Murray the cold shoulder as she charges into quarters of Birmingham tournament