During a recent stroll around her home city of Brisbane with her growing baby boy Hayden, Ash Barty was looking match fit.
While the outing was extremely adorable, it also put the Aussie tennis scene in a flutter, with many convinced Ash, 27, is considering making a surprise comeback sooner than anyone expected!
WATCH NOW: Ash Barty Announces Her Retirement From Tennis. Article continues after video.
According to a source, the retired former world number one is dropping hints that she’s eyeing off a possible appearance at one of next year’s four Grand Slam tournaments.
“Anyone who knows Ash knows she is capable of anything!” the source shares.
Ash and husband Garry Kissick are loving every second of parenthood. Yet, our source claims they’ve come to realise that Ash still
has “plenty of gas left in her tank”.
“She’s going to have to get her skates on before this new crop of young guns take over the circuit,” jokes one tennis insider.
Ash, a three-time Grand Slam singles champion, has no doubt been keeping a watchful eye on young American superstar Coco Gauff.
The 19-year-old clinched this year’s US Open, defeating one of Ash’s fiercest rivals, Aryna Sabalenka.
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“If Ash is to return, it’s now or never – if it’s not the Australian Open in January, then she will probably set her sights on Wimbledon in July,” the source explains.
Those close to Ash and Garry say they have had so much support from family and friends since they announced Hayden’s arrival in July.
Her sisters Ali and Sara, and parents, Josie and Robert, live within minutes of Garry and Ash’s multimillion-dollar mansion. She also has several cousins nearby who she is very close to. They are said to be always dropping by with their own kids for play dates and cuddles with Hayden, and deliver home-cooked meals.
“Ash has always been family first, and now she’s a mum herself, she appreciates them even more,” says one friend.
They add that Ash has embraced motherhood “much like everything she does – with 100 per cent gusto!”
If Ash does decide to return to the court, she’ll have Garry’s full support.
Recently, Ash paid tribute to the pro golfer and Hayden in a social media post.
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Sharing new photos of them, she added the caption: “Outnumbered by the boys. Love every single minute.”
Our insider says it’s “rather telling” that Ash chose a photo in which she wears her playing kit emblazoned with her apparel sponsor FILA while cradling Hayden.
“It could be a cheeky clue that she’s still got unfinished business,” they say.
“Who knows, by the time Hayden celebrates his first birthday, his mum may have added yet another Grand Slam trophy to her collection!”
