‘The answer would be no’: Storm Hunter rules out doubles comeback for Ash Barty

Aussie doubles star Storm Hunter will part ways with her world No.1 partner and reveals whether an Ash Barty reunion is on the cards.

Storm Hunter (nee Sanders) and Ash Barty played together at the Tokyo Olympics but will not reunite for the Paris Games next year, Sanders says. Picture: Alex Coppel

Australian women’s doubles world No.1 Storm Hunter will reunite with an old partner ahead of the Australian Open but says it won’t be Ash Barty.

Hunter climbed to the top of the world rankings alongside Belgian star Elise Mertens this year, becoming the first Australian player since Sam Stosur in 2006 to achieve the feat.

The West Australian came close to winning Wimbledon with Mertens in July, but while set on winning a doubles grand slam title also wants to invest more time in her singles career.

Hunter reached a singles ranking of 119 late in 2021 but currently sits at No.172 despite impressing when she played solo, reaching the second round of the French Open.

Her Billie Jean Cup captain Alicia Molik urged the 29-year-old to follow the footsteps of Barty and Sam Stosur and pursue singles success after she reached the No.1 doubles ranking.

Storm Hunter (nee Sanders) celebrates her world No.1 doubles ranking at Melbourne Park on Thursday. Picture: Morgan Hancock / Getty Images

“I haven’t spoken to (Molik) privately about that, but for now I’m just sitting back and reflecting on my year and the goals I’ve achieved,” Hunter said at a celebration of her doubles achievement on Thursday.

“My singles career is definitely something that I really want to focus on. I’m sitting around 160 at the moment and the singles that I played this year, I actually did really well.

“Now it’s just working out the balance between my doubles and singles … it’s very hard to do, I’m aware that if I want to play singles, I need to maybe play a few lower rank tournaments and build up.”

Hunter said she had enjoyed learning to work with Mertens, a 28-year-old who has enjoyed success in her own singles career, but would pair with an old doubles partner she was unable to name ahead of the Australian Open in January.

Hunter and Elise Mertens (left) progressed far enough at the WTA Finals in Cancun to claim the No.1 ranking but will no longer play doubles together after an amicable split. Picture: Clive Brunskill / Getty Images

“We just both decided that we wanted to play with someone different, nothing kind of really happened or anything. We just wanted to change and a new challenge,” she said.

“I’m really excited for who I’m playing with next year – I can’t say just yet but we have played together before and done well and I’m really excited for the challenge for next year.”

Hunter, who has a doubles medal firmly in her sights at the Paris Olympics next year, said there was no chance Ash Barty would return to the sport to pair with her after the pair played together at the Tokyo Games.

“That’s definitely not going to happen, as much as it would be nice, and we’d all love to see her back,” Hunter said.

“(Ash) is doing really well, she’s happy at home with her family now, her little boy, but we stay in touch a lot which is nice – she’s always keeping tabs.

“I definitely haven’t asked (her) because I know the answer would be no, but I can suss her out (in the future), we’ll see.”