Ashleigh Jacinta Barty, born on April 24, 1996, in Ipswich, Queensland, Australia, is a retired professional tennis player and former cricketer.
Known for her versatile playing style, exceptional serve, and all-court game, Barty rose to become the world No. 1 in women’s singles by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for a total of 121 weeks.
A proud Ngarigo woman, her Indigenous Australian heritage through her father’s lineage connected her deeply to her roots, and she served as the National Indigenous Tennis Ambassador for Tennis Australia.
Barty’s journey from a junior prodigy to a global tennis star was marked by resilience, including a brief hiatus to play cricket, before retiring in 2022 at the age of 25, just after winning the Australian Open.
Siblings
Ashleigh grew up in Springfield, Queensland, with her two older sisters, Sara Coppolecchia and Ali Egstorfs, who have been integral to her life and career.
Sara, a midwife, and Ali, both married, are described as Ashleigh’s biggest fans, providing unwavering support throughout her tennis journey.
Despite their own sporting aspirations in their youth, the family could not afford for all three siblings to pursue competitive sports, leading Sara and Ali to step back from their dreams to support Ashleigh’s burgeoning talent.
Career
Barty’s tennis career began at the age of four under the guidance of coach Jim Joyce at the West Brisbane Tennis Centre, where her remarkable hand-eye coordination was evident from her first lesson.
By nine, she was competing against boys six years older, and by 12, she was holding her own against adult men.
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Her junior career peaked with a world No. 2 ranking and a Wimbledon girls’ singles title in 2011 at age 15, making her the first Australian girl to win a junior Grand Slam singles title since 1998.
Transitioning to the WTA Tour, Barty found early success in doubles, reaching three Grand Slam doubles finals in 2013 with Casey Dellacqua.
However, the pressures of global travel and public scrutiny led her to take an indefinite break from tennis in 2014, during which she played semi-professional cricket for the Brisbane Heat in the Women’s Big Bash League.
Returning to tennis in 2016, Barty’s breakthrough came in 2017 with her first WTA singles title at the Malaysian Open, climbing to No. 17 in the world.
Her ascent continued with a doubles Grand Slam title at the 2018 US Open alongside CoCo Vandeweghe and her first singles Grand Slam at the 2019 French Open, making her the first Australian woman to win there since Margaret Court in 1973.
In 2021, she claimed the Wimbledon singles title, and in 2022, she won the Australian Open, becoming the first Australian to do so in 44 years.
Barty’s ability to win majors on clay, grass, and hard courts cemented her as one of the few players to achieve this feat.
She also earned a bronze medal in mixed doubles at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and led Australia to the 2019 Fed Cup final.
Her retirement in March 2022, while still ranked No. 1, shocked the tennis world, but she cited a desire to pursue other dreams, including starting a family with her husband, Garry Kissick.
Accolades
Barty secured 15 WTA singles titles, including three Grand Slam singles titles: the 2019 French Open, 2021 Wimbledon Championships, and 2022 Australian Open.
Her 12 doubles titles include the 2018 US Open with CoCo Vandeweghe.
Barty held the WTA world No. 1 singles ranking for 114 consecutive weeks, the fourth-longest streak in WTA history, and reached a career-high No. 5 in doubles.
She won the 2019 WTA Finals and was named the WTA Player of the Year in 2019.
In Australia, her impact was recognized with the Young Australian of the Year award in 2020 and the prestigious Don Award from the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2019 and 2022, making her one of only three athletes to win it twice.
Her three Newcombe Medals (Australia’s top tennis award) and her role as a trailblazer for Indigenous athletes further underscore her legacy.
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