Tennis star Nick Kyrgios to join Wimbledon commentary team alongside Ash Barty

Australian tennis greats Ash Barty and Nick Kyrgios are making a new move in a long-awaited return to the game.

Tennis great Ash Barty will join Nick Kyrgios on the Wimbledon commentary team in a surprise move which will see the pair both make a long awaited return to the game.

The Aussie duo will be joining the BBC team as pundits, it was announced.

BBC’s content boss Charlotte Moore delivered the news at the network’s Summer of Sport launch event in London.

Ash Barty was World number 1 and a Wimbledon champion. Picture: Getty Images

“A host of Wimbledon champions will be joining the studio,” Moore revealed.

“This will include John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King and Pat Cash alongside Tim Henman, Tracey Austin, Annabel Croft and Johanna Konta.

“Joining the line-up this year will be 2021 champion Ashleigh Barty and, if he’s not playing, 2022 Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios, so anything could happen there,” Moore said.

Kyrgios, 29, hasn’t played in almost a year due to a string of injuries including a bung knee and a torn wrist ligament.

Nick Kyrgios takes out his frustration on his racquet during a match with Rafael Nadal on Rod Laver Arena. Picture: David Caird

He’s technically not out of contention to play at Wimbledon, but his ongoing recovery suggests it is unlikely.

Meanwhile Barty, 28, is thriving in her role as a new mother to her 10-month-old son Hayden.

The 2021 Wimbledon champion is also an accomplished children’s book author and promising golfer.

Barty, who hails from Ipswich, shocked the tennis world when she retired just a year after achieving Wimbledon glory.

The naming of Kyrgios in the commentary team has drawn criticism given he pleaded guilty last year to assaulting a former girlfriend.

A Canberra court did not record a conviction against Kyrgios after hearing he pushed the woman during an argument, causing her to fall and graze her knee in the 2021 incident.

Nick Kyrgios and Ash Barty will join fellow Aussie Pat Cash on the team. Picture: Josie Hayden

Sparks are expected to fly during the coverage with a host of strong personalities on the team.

Both McEnroe and fellow Aussie Pat Cash slammed Kyrgios for his behaviour at Wimbledon in 2022.

“He’s brought tennis to the lowest level I can see as far as gamesmanship, cheating, manipulation, abuse, aggressive behaviour to umpires, to linesmen,” Cash told BBC Radio at the time.

Wimbledon 2024 will be held from July 1 to July 14.