Ashleigh Barty facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ashleigh Barty
AO

Barty in 2019
Full name	Ashleigh Jacinta Barty
Country (sports)	Australia
Residence	Brookwater, Queensland, Australia
Born	(1996-04-24) 24 April 1996 (age 29) Ipswich, Queensland, Australia
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Turned pro	April 2010
Retired	March 2022
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money	US$23,829,071 17th all-time in earnings
Singles
Career record	305–102 (74.94%)
Career titles	15
Highest ranking	No. 1 (24 June 2019)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	W (2022)
French Open	W (2019)
Wimbledon	W (2021)
US Open	4R (2018, 2019)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	W (2019)
Olympic Games	1R (2020)
Doubles
Career record	200–64 (75.76%)
Career titles	12
Highest ranking	No. 5 (21 May 2018)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	F (2013)
French Open	F (2017)
Wimbledon	F (2013)
US Open	W (2018)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals	SF (2018)
Olympic Games	QF (2020)
Mixed doubles
Career record	7–8
Career titles	0
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open	2R (2014)
French Open	1R (2013)
Wimbledon	QF (2013)
US Open	QF (2014)
Other mixed doubles tournaments
Olympic Games	Bronze (2020)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	F (2019)
Hopman Cup	RR (2013, 2019)
Medal record Olympic Games Representing  Australia Bronze 2020 Tokyo Mixed doubles

Ashleigh Jacinta Barty (born 24 April 1996) is an Australian former professional tennis player and cricketer. She was the second Australian woman to be ranked world No. 1 in singles by the WTA. She held this top spot for 121 weeks in total. Ashleigh was also a top-10 player in doubles, reaching a high ranking of No. 5.

Barty won three major singles titles: the 2019 French Open, the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, and the 2022 Australian Open. She also won a major doubles title at the 2018 US Open with CoCo Vandeweghe. In her career, Barty won 15 singles titles and 12 doubles titles on the WTA Tour.

Born in Ipswich, Queensland, Australia, Barty started playing tennis at age four. She had a great junior career, becoming the world No. 2 junior player. She won the 2011 Wimbledon girls' singles title. As a teenager, Barty had early success in doubles. In 2013, she reached three major doubles finals with Casey Dellacqua, including the 2013 Australian Open when she was only 16.

In late 2014, Barty took a break from tennis. During this time, she played cricket for the Brisbane Heat in the first Women's Big Bash League season, even though she had no formal cricket training. Barty returned to tennis in early 2016. She had a fantastic year in singles in 2017, winning her first WTA title. She quickly rose to No. 17 in the world.

Barty continued to achieve great things. In 2019, she won her first major singles title at the French Open. She won five more titles in 2021, including her second major singles title at Wimbledon. With her win at the 2022 Australian Open, she became one of the few players to win a major on all three types of court surfaces (clay, grass, and hard court). Barty also helped Australia reach the final of the 2019 Fed Cup. She won a bronze medal in mixed doubles at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Ashleigh Barty was known for her all-court game and many different shots. Even though she wasn't very tall for a tennis player, she had an excellent serve. She often ranked high in aces and service points won. Barty is also the National Indigenous Tennis Ambassador for Tennis Australia. She announced her retirement from tennis in March 2022. This was just two months after winning the Australian Open, and she was still ranked No. 1 in singles. She had held the top ranking for 114 weeks in a row, which is the fourth-longest streak in WTA history.

Early Life and Background

Ashleigh Jacinta Barty, often called "Ash", was born on April 24, 1996, in Ipswich, Queensland. Her parents are Josie and Robert Barty. Her father was a talented golfer who represented Queensland and Australia. Her mother was also a state-level golfer before becoming a radiographer.

Ashleigh is part of the Ngaragu people, an Indigenous Australian group. She grew up in Springfield, near Ipswich. She went to Woodcrest State College. Ashleigh has two older sisters, Sara and Ali. As a child, she also played netball. However, she chose to focus on tennis.

Barty started working with her coach, Jim Joyce, at age four. Joyce was impressed by her amazing hand-eye coordination and focus. He remembered her first lesson: "The first ball I threw to her, bang! She hit it right back." Ashleigh also practiced at home, hitting the ball against a wall for hours. By age nine, she was playing against boys six years older. At 12, she played against adult men.

Former tennis player Scott Draper later joined Barty's coaching team. When she was 15, Jason Stoltenberg, a former top 20 player, became her main coach. Ashleigh's junior tennis schedule meant she spent much of the year away from her family. When she was 17, she was only home for 27 days.

Tennis Career Highlights

Junior Success

Barty at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships

Ashleigh Barty was a very successful junior player, reaching world No. 2. She started playing junior tournaments in 2009 at age 13. By 2010, she had a great record, winning 24 out of 26 matches.

In 2011, Barty won her only junior Grand Slam title at Wimbledon. She was just 15 years old. She became the first Australian girl to win a junior Grand Slam singles title since 1998. She only lost one set during the whole tournament. Later that year, she reached the semifinals of the US Open. She also won two more top-level doubles titles. She finished the season by helping Australia win the Junior Fed Cup.

Early Professional Years (2010–2012)

Barty started her professional career in April 2010, right after her 14th birthday. In 2011, she was given a special entry to the US Open qualifying rounds. She didn't make it to the main draw. However, she won a playoff to earn a spot in the 2012 Australian Open main draw. She was the youngest player in the competition.

In 2012, Barty made her main draw debuts on the WTA Tour. At the Brisbane International, she reached the doubles semifinals with Casey Dellacqua at just 15 years old. She also played in the main draws of the 2012 Australian Open, 2012 French Open, and 2012 Wimbledon.

On the ITF Circuit, Barty had a great year. She won four singles titles and four doubles titles. She finished the year ranked No. 177 in singles and No. 129 in doubles.

Breakthrough in Doubles (2013–2014)

In 2013, Barty started playing more WTA Tour events. She didn't break into the top 100 in singles. However, she became one of the best doubles players in the world.

First Major Finals

Barty at the 2013 US Open

Barty partnered with Casey Dellacqua for all four Grand Slam tournaments in 2013. They reached the finals at three of them: the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. At 16, Barty was the youngest Grand Slam finalist since 2004. They won one title together at the Birmingham Classic. Barty finished 2013 as world No. 12 in doubles.

In 2014, Barty and Dellacqua won their second title together in Strasbourg. They also reached the quarterfinals at the 2014 French Open and 2014 Wimbledon Championships.

Tennis Break and Cricket Career

After the 2014 US Open, Barty announced she was taking a break from tennis. She later explained that she needed time to "refresh mentally." She wanted to experience life as a normal teenager. At this time, she was ranked outside the top 200 in singles.

Barty became interested in playing cricket. She had no competitive cricket experience, only playing casually. However, coaches were very impressed with her natural talent. She joined the Brisbane Heat for the first Women's Big Bash League season. She played well, even scoring 39 runs in one match.

Return to Tennis and Major Success (2016–2018)

Barty at the 2016 Eastbourne Trophy

Barty returned to professional tennis in February 2016. She started by playing doubles events and quickly won three titles. She returned to singles in May, reaching the quarterfinals of the Nottingham Open.

First WTA Singles Title

In 2017, Barty had a breakthrough year in singles. She won her first WTA singles title at the Malaysian Open. This helped her enter the top 100 rankings for the first time. She also reached the final of a bigger tournament, the Birmingham Classic.

During the US Open Series, she beat world No. 9 Venus Williams for her first top-10 win. She reached the third round of the US Open. Later, she made her first Premier 5 final at the Wuhan Open. She beat three top-ten players there. Barty finished 2017 ranked No. 17 in the world.

In 2018, Barty started strong, reaching the final of the Sydney International. She won her second WTA title at the Nottingham Open on grass. She also reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time at the US Open. At the end of the year, Barty won the Elite Trophy, her biggest title yet. She finished 2018 ranked No. 15.

US Open Doubles Champion

Barty at the 2018 US Open

In 2017, Barty and Casey Dellacqua reached the finals of the French Open. They also won the Birmingham Classic. They qualified for the 2017 WTA Finals for the first time.

In 2018, Barty teamed up with CoCo Vandeweghe. They won their first Premier Mandatory title at the Miami Open. Barty also won two more titles with Demi Schuurs. Later that year, Barty and Vandeweghe won their first Grand Slam title at the US Open. They beat the top two seeded teams on their way to the title. This win helped Barty reach a career-high doubles ranking of No. 5.

World No. 1 and French Open Champion (2019–2020)

Barty at the 2019 Sydney International

Barty started 2019 by reaching the final of the Sydney International. She beat Simona Halep, who was world No. 1 at the time. At the Australian Open, she reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.

She then won her first Premier Mandatory title at the Miami Open. She beat three top-10 players there. This win helped her enter the top 10 rankings. Barty then won her first Grand Slam singles title at the French Open. She became the first Australian woman to win the French Open singles title since 1973.

After this, Barty won the Birmingham Classic. This win made her the No. 1 ranked player in the world. She was the second Australian woman to achieve this. Her winning streak ended at 15 matches at Wimbledon.

Barty regained the No. 1 ranking later in 2019. She finished the season by winning the WTA Finals. This was the biggest prize money win in tennis history at that time. She ended the year as world No. 1 and was named WTA Player of the Year.

In 2020, Barty won her first title on home soil at the Adelaide International. She reached the semifinals of the Australian Open. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Barty decided to skip the rest of the 2020 season. She still finished as the year-end world No. 1 for the second year in a row.

Doubles Success

In 2019, Barty partnered with Victoria Azarenka. They won their first title together at the Italian Open. They also reached the final of the US Open.

Major Titles and Retirement (2021–2022)

Wimbledon and Australian Open Champion

After an 11-month break due to the pandemic, Barty returned in 2021. She won the Yarra Valley Classic. She then defended her title at the Miami Open. She won her third title of the year at the Stuttgart Open.

At Wimbledon, Barty reached the final and won. She became the first Australian woman to win the Wimbledon title since 1980. She also won the Cincinnati Open without losing a set. Barty finished 2021 as the year-end world No. 1 for the third year in a row. She also received the WTA Player of the Year award again.

Barty started 2022 by winning the Adelaide International. At the Australian Open, she reached the final without losing a single service game. She won the title, becoming the first Australian woman to win the Australian Open since 1978. She also became only the eighth female player to win a major on all three different surfaces.

Olympic Bronze Medal

In 2021, Barty won a doubles title with Jennifer Brady in Stuttgart. At the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Barty partnered with John Peers in mixed doubles. They won a bronze medal, which was Australia's first ever Olympic medal in mixed doubles tennis.

In 2022, Barty won the doubles title in Adelaide with Storm Sanders. This meant she won both the singles and doubles titles at the same tournament for the third time.

Retirement

On March 23, 2022, Ashleigh Barty announced her retirement from tennis. She said she no longer had the "physical drive" or "emotional want" to compete at the top level. Barty was still ranked No. 1 when she retired. She became only the second player to retire while holding the top ranking.

In her autobiography, Barty explained that after winning Wimbledon, her "one true dream," she started to lose motivation. After retiring, Barty took on a role as "chief of inspiration" for an Australian telephone company. She also donated three of her Grand Slam winning outfits to the State Library of Queensland.

National Representation

Fed Cup

Barty first played for Australia in the Fed Cup in 2013 at age 16. In 2018, she helped Australia get back into the top-tier World Group.

In 2019, Barty was key in leading Australia to the 2019 Fed Cup final. She won all six of her matches in the first two rounds. In the final against France, she won her first singles match easily. However, she lost her next match, and Australia eventually lost the final.

Hopman Cup

Barty represented Australia in the Hopman Cup twice. In 2013, she played with Bernard Tomic. In 2019, she teamed up with Matthew Ebden. Australia finished second in their group both times.

Olympic Games

Barty played for Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. In singles, she lost in the first round. In women's doubles, she reached the quarterfinals with Storm Sanders. In mixed doubles, she won a bronze medal with John Peers. This was Australia's first medal in Olympic mixed doubles.

Playing Style

Barty serving

Ashleigh Barty was known for her all-court game and clever style. Her favorite surface was grass. She also played very well on hard courts. She won singles and doubles titles on all three main court surfaces.

Barty's playing style was often compared to former world No. 1 Martina Hingis. She had strong groundstrokes, especially her powerful forehand. Her kick serve and backhand slice were also excellent shots. She often used her one-handed backhand slice to set up attacks with her strong forehand. Barty was also good at coming to the net and volleying.

Despite her height, Barty was a great server. Her serve could reach speeds of 115 mph (185 km/h). In 2018, she was fourth on the WTA Tour in aces. She was also second in the percentage of service points won.

Her compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis described her game: "Ash plays different to most girls. She likes to come into the net, she uses her slice very well and she's crafty." He added that she plays with "more control" and makes things "awkward for her opponent."

Personal Life

Barty took a break from tennis from September 2014 to February 2016. During this time, she played semi-professional cricket. She later said she needed time to "refresh mentally." Her family and coaches supported her decision. She continued to play tennis casually during her break. She also enjoyed hobbies like fishing and built a new house near her family. She decided to return to tennis because she missed it.

Barty is the National Indigenous Tennis Ambassador for Tennis Australia. This role helps promote Indigenous participation in tennis. She is very proud of her Indigenous heritage. She won the Female Sportsperson of the Year at the National Dreamtime Awards in 2017, 2018, and 2019. She was also named Young Australian of the Year in 2020.

Barty supports the Richmond Football Club in Australian Rules Football. She also supports Manchester United in English soccer. She presented the premiership cup to Richmond when they won the 2020 AFL Grand Final.

Barty has been in a relationship with Australian professional golfer Garry Kissick since 2017. They announced their engagement in November 2021. They got married on July 23, 2022. On July 2, 2023, she gave birth to their son.

Career Statistics

Grand Slam Performance Timelines

These tables show how Ashleigh Barty performed in the biggest tennis tournaments, called Grand Slams, each year.

Singles

Doubles

Grand Slam Tournament Finals

Singles: 3 (3 titles)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	2019	French Open	Clay	Markéta Vondroušová	6–1, 6–3
Win	2021	Wimbledon	Grass	Karolína Plíšková	6–3, 6–7(4–7), 6–3
Win	2022	Australian Open	Hard	Danielle Collins	6–3, 7–6(7–2)

Doubles: 6 (1 title, 5 runner-ups)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	2013	Australian Open	Hard	Casey Dellacqua	Sara Errani Roberta Vinci	2–6, 6–3, 2–6
Loss	2013	Wimbledon	Grass	Casey Dellacqua	Hsieh Su-wei Peng Shuai	6–7(1–7), 1–6
Loss	2013	US Open	Hard	Casey Dellacqua	Andrea Hlaváčková Lucie Hradecká	7–6(7–4), 1–6, 4–6
Loss	2017	French Open	Clay	Casey Dellacqua	Bethanie Mattek-Sands Lucie Šafářová	2–6, 1–6
Win	2018	US Open	Hard	CoCo Vandeweghe	Tímea Babos Kristina Mladenovic	3–6, 7–6(7–2), 7–6(8–6)
Loss	2019	US Open	Hard	Victoria Azarenka	Elise Mertens Aryna Sabalenka	5–7, 5–7

Year-End Championships Finals

Singles: 1 (title)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	2019	WTA Finals, Shenzhen, China	Hard (i)	Elina Svitolina	6–4, 6–3

Olympic Medal Matches

Mixed Doubles: 1 (bronze medal)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Bronze	2021	Summer Olympics, Tokyo	Hard	John Peers	Nina Stojanović Novak Djokovic	walkover

Awards and Honours

Ashleigh Barty received many awards for her amazing tennis career:

• ITF World Champion: 2019, 2021
• WTA Player of the Year: 2019, 2021
• The Don Award: 2019, 2022 (This award is for an Australian athlete who inspires the nation.)
• Newcombe Medal: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 (Australia's highest tennis honour.)
• Young Australian of the Year: 2020
• Officer of the Order of Australia (AO): 2022 (A high honour for her service to tennis and youth programs.)

See Also

In Spanish: Ashleigh Barty para niños