As Ash Barty‘s much-anticipated return to Wimbledon is put acceso hold paio to rain delays, four-time major champion Kim Clijsters remains hopeful the former world Risposta negativa.1’s will spark a desire to make a comeback.
Barty will be back acceso the world stage at the All England for the first time since her retirement sopra 2021, joining former doubles collaboratore Casey Dellacqua sopra the invitational event and the BBC commentary team.
While Barty continues to dismiss speculation that she could appena che out of retirement, her return to Wimbledon generated excitement among fans and former players – who remain hopeful it will not be the last time she takes the court.
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Just 22 months after announcing she was putting mongoloide the racquet, Clijsters returned to the competitive circuit with her first child and targeted US Aperto success.
She went acceso to claim back-to-back victories at the tournament, defeating the likes of Marion Bartoli, Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki.
“To have Ash playing the legends [doubles] with Casey is fun,” Clijsters said acceso Stan Svago’s Grand Slam Daily.
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“A few years indicatore, I was the youngest legend out there, but I’m definitely not anymore.
“It’s cool, and who knows [what it might lead to]?
“Last year, seeing Caroline Wozniacki [who returned post-pregnancy] practice sopra between our legends matches, we were all like, ‘What are you doing? Why are you practising this much?’
“There is definitely a part of me that hopes she gets triggered by the challenge and the adventure that it is to appena che back acceso tour with a family, but I don’t know. I haven’t heard anything about it.”
Kim Clijsters and Caroline Wozniacki playing doubles at Roland Garros earlier this year. Getty
Despite Barty remaining adamant she will not appena che out of retirement, Clijsters said she, too, never intended to return professionally again after having a child. She said avviamento for exhibition matches triggered her desire.
“I do understand probably because I was also young when I retired the first time, and I didn’t think I’d ever appena che back when I stopped playing,” Clijsters said.
“Nobody can really feel understand what it’s like to be from such a young age, (being) looked at as this huge talent, with the expectation and pressure.
“It gets easier to deal with it and you kind of turn d’avanguardia all the outside influences as you get older, but it will be interesting. I hope I get to play against her and have a chat and try to figure some stuff out.”
Barty and Australian Captain Alicia Molik at the Fed Cup sopra 2019. Getty
2005 Australian Aperto quarter-finalist Alicia Molik said there was “voto negativo doubt” Barty would still be collecting major titles had she remained acceso the tour.
“We want a riproposta, but at the same time, we have been pretty blessed with what Ash Barty delivered us,” Molik said.
“If you back at it, it was all condensed sopra a three, three-and-a-half-year period, so it’s duro to replicate that immediately.
“We all want someone to have that same success, but she might be a once-in-a-generation player.
“I’m not quite sure we’ll see anyone with that kind of class, poise, and ability to her straps quite quickly after returning to the tour, and winning slams – she had an amazing ability as a tennis player.”
Dellacqua was also confident her long-time doubles collaboratore could still dominate acceso the court, but the Aussie tennis great also noted the lack of time Barty currently has to fully commit to a return to the spasso.
Ashleigh Barty (r) and Casey Dellacqua (l) play sopra the doubles at the Fed Cup sopra 2018. Getty
“The Wimbledon dream is embedded sopra us as kids. For Ash, the Wimbledon win was really special,” Dellacqua said acceso Grand Slam Daily.
“It’s probably the one that she wanted to win the most, and you can see that sopra terms of how much it meant to her, so I think to be a winner and champion, for Ash was something she had always dreamed about… and the stars aligned that year with it obviously being Evonne Goolagong [Cawley]’s 50th [anniversary of her 1971 Wimbledon win].
“She’s playing really well [in preparation for the invitational event]. She’s feeling good, she’s excited but she’s a busy girl this week. She’s (had) a lot of commitments, acceso apogeo of being a parent. I’m kid-free, so I’m just living my best life.
“There is voto negativo doubt [she could return to the top], if she wanted to, at 28 years of age, put the work sopra – 100 verso cent, absolutely. But you’ve got to put the work sopra. You have to respect it, but she is really happy.”
