Breaking News: Ashleigh Barty declared her goal to end Iga Swiatek’s tennis career Due to…
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Ashleigh Barty is set to return to tennis at this year’s Wimbledon Championships. The prestigious grasscourt Major has announced that the former World No. 1 will feature in the invitational doubles match. This development has gripped tennis fans with excitement.
Barty called time on her illustrious tennis career in March 2022, citing her lack of motivation to continue playing the sport professionally as the reason behind the decision. The Aussie was the top-ranked women’s tennis player at the time. Her last competitive outing was in the final of the 2022 Australian Open, where she defeated Danielle Collins to win her 15th singles title on the WTA Tour.
The three-time Grand Slam winner’s retirement also propelled Iga Swiatek to the top of the WTA Tour rankings. Since then, the Pole has, for the most part, held that position and become women’s tennis’ most dominant force in the current era.
TrendingOn Wednesday, June 19, the official Instagram handle of the Wimbledon Championships announced that Barty will play in the invitational doubles match this year. The Australian’s last Wimbledon appearance came in 2021 when she won the final after getting the better of Karolina Pliskova.
Tennis fans on X (formerly Twitter) were ecstatic upon taking notice of the news. One set of fans was hopeful that Barty would reconsider her retirement from tennis and eventually come out of it.
“Is this part of Ash getting ready to make a comeback to the tour? I can live in hope,” one fan wrote.
“Zomg its so a warmup for the inevitable comeback,” another fan commented.
“SHUT THE FRONT DOOR,” wrote a prominent tennis journalist.
Another set of fans opined that if Barty did make her full comeback, it would spell trouble for reigning World No. 1 Iga Swiatek and her chances of winning Wimbledon this year.
“Iga Swiatek seeing Ash Barty entering Wimbledon,” wrote one fan, followed by a GIF.
“She’s unretiring soon to end Iga omg,” commented another fan.
“She could probably still win the whole tournament,” another fan chimed in.
“I felt at home” – Ashleigh Barty after winning the 2021 Wimbledon Championships
Barty was overwhelmed with emotions after winning the 2021 final 6-3, 6-7(4-7), 6-3 against Pliskova. In her speech during the trophy presentation ceremony, the Australian said that winning Wimbledon was one of her childhood dreams. She also revealed that she could barely rest the night before the final, but managed to feel “at home” when she stepped out onto Center Court to face Pliskova.
“It took me a long time to verbalise saying that I want to win this tournament. And being able to live out my dream right now with everyone here has made it better than I could ever imagine. I didn’t sleep a lot last night. And I was thinking about all the what ifs. But when I was coming out on this court I felt at home in a way,” Barty said.
Apart from the 2021 Wimbledon title and the 2022 Australian Open title, Barty also won the 2019 French Open. She also tasted Grand Slam success in doubles, winning the 2018 US Open alongside CoCo Vandeweghe.
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Carlos Alcaraz hits out at tennis chiefs over ‘crazy’ rule change
The 21-year-old French Open champion says the new shot clock is ‘bad for the players’ after feeling rushed during his defeat to Jack Draper
QUEEN’S CLUB – Carlos Alcaraz says he will complain to the professional tennis tour (ATP) over a “crazy” rule change that is being trialled at Queen’s this week.
Alcaraz, 21, was handed his first defeat on grass in nearly two years on Tuesday, beaten in straight sets by British No 1 Jack Draper.
As well as being outplayed by Drpaer, reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz tangled with umpire Mohamed Lahyani in the first set over the time he was being given between points.
The ATP has been running a rules trial for the last 10 days where the 25-second “shot clock” starts automatically three seconds after the previous point. Players can be warned and eventually docked a point if they do not start serving before the clock expires.
Ask if he felt rushed during the match, Alcaraz said: “Yeah, absolutely.
“I think for the player it is something bad. I finish the point at the net, and I had no time to ask for the balls. I have time just to ask for two balls and no bounces.
“I have never seen something like that in tennis. If you play a long point or finish at the net, you [should] have time just to go for a towel or [do] your routine: ask for, in my case, four balls, I’m concentrating for the next point, just bouncing my bounces, and serve as best as I can.
“Today I felt like I was in a rush all the time. I had no time to bounce and do my routine. Of course it’s something bad for the players.”
i understands a meeting took place at the Queen’s Club this week with players to discuss the trial, but they were informed of the trial by email two weeks ago, before tournaments in s-Hertogenbosch and Stuttgart, and Alcaraz confirmed he would be submitting a complaint to the ATP after the match.
An even more stringent set of timing rules is being trialled in the doubles tournament, where the shot clock is down to just 15 seconds instead of the 25 afforded to singles players. Once a set, players are allowed to call for a 10-second extension.
“There’s no time to talk tactics,” one player in the Queen’s draw, who asked to remain anonymous, told i.
“You need that time between points to talk in doubles and instead there’s barely time to say ‘well done’, never mind decide what to do.”
At change of ends, teams are only allowed 40 seconds before “time” is called, creating problems for stewards trying to to get spectators into seats between games.
Another player added: “I don’t know anyone that likes it, even the fans on court were complaining about it.”
Before Queen’s, tournament director and professional doubles player Jamie Murray said: “I’m excited to see the ATP continue to try to test ways to figure out things to try to improve the doubles product and unlock more value for all the different stakeholders: players, fans, tournaments, streaming, TV and broadcasters.
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