Heavily pregnant tennis ace Ash Barty spotted weeks before birth of first child

Ash Barty is preparing to ace her newest role as first-time mum a year after announcing her retirement from tennis. See the pictures here.

Tennis star Ash Barty is just weeks away from taking a swing at her newest role — becoming a first-time mum.

The retired three-time Grand Slam winner, 27, sported a sizeable baby bump outside her Brisbane home on Monday.

Barty, who announced she was expecting a child with husband Garry Kissick in January, opted for comfortable tracksuit pants and a white shirt as she walked a friend to their car outside.

Picture: Backgrid

“2023 set to be the best year yet. We are so excited for our new adventure,” she captioned a photo of a tiny pair of tennis shoes at the time.

It comes just over a year after Barty announced her shock decision to retire from tennis aged 25 and “chase other dreams” after winning the 2022 Australian Open.

Party retired just months after winning the AO title. Picture: Josie Hayden

“I’m so happy and I’m so ready. I just know at the moment in my heart, for me as a person, this is right,” she said.

“I know that people may not understand it. I’m OK with that. Because I know that Ash Barty the person has so many dreams she wants to chase after that don’t necessarily involve travelling the world, being away from my family, from my home, which is where I’ve always wanted to be.”

Since retiring, Barty was last year hired by Optus as the organisation’s Chief of Inspiration, and has remained active in the tennis world, including attending this year’s Australian Open.