Barty returns to Wimbledon in a legends event, partnering Dellacqua | June 20, 2024 | All news | News and Features | news and events

For the first time since winning the singles title at Wimbledon, Ash Barty returns to the grass courts of the All England Club for the invitational doubles match alongside Casey Dellacqua.

London, UK, June 20, 2024 | Matt Trollope

Wimbledon singles champion Ash Barty returns to the All England Club for the first time since her thrilling victory in 2021, taking part in the doubles at the invitation of the legends.

She will team up with compatriot Casey Dellacqua, her best friend and former doubles partner with whom she reached four Grand Slam doubles finals.

Dellacqua joined The AO Show Weekly to share her excitement about the news, which was revealed on Wimbledon’s social media channels on Wednesday.

“I can announce that the band is back together, ABCD,” Dellacqua said, a reference to the couple’s initials, which were used as an unofficial team name.

“This is why I love tennis, because no matter what level, I get the chance to play with my best friend, who, yes, is an extremely good player and has won championships before.

“We’re just going to have a great time and enjoy being together again as friends on the tennis court, which we’ve loved doing all our lives… I’m actually really excited about it.

“We are now in a different phase of our lives. We both have children, we talk about different things, but yes, tennis doesn’t change.

“Tennis is always there. And that is the glue that brought us together. So we are really lucky.”

Barty and Dellacqua finished second in the women’s doubles at Wimbledon in 2013, a season in which they reached three major doubles finals together.

Barty’s singles career took off when she resumed competition in 2016, and she improved with each main draw she contested at Wimbledon.

After a first-round loss in 2017, Barty reached the third round in 2018 and the fourth round in 2019, before going all the way to the title in 2021, beating Karolina Pliskova in a three-set final.

Six months later, she won her third Grand Slam singles title at the 2022 Australian Open, before retiring from tennis in March that year.

Kim Clijsters and Martina Hingis won the women’s doubles at Wimbledon last year.