TENNIS – Former junior Wimbledon Champion Ashleigh Barty is expected to make a return to the tennis court this week.
Barty will play doubles in an International Tennis Federation Challenger tournament in Perth after 17 months away from the tennis court.
The three time grand Slam finalist shocked the tennis world when she decided to walk away from the game in 2014, citing a lack of passion for the game and a desire to be closer to family.
Nineteen year old Barty has dabbled in cricket in the meantime, playing well enough to win an opportunity with the Brisbane Heat this season.
While Barty hasn’t yet given an indication as to whether she expects to return to the WTA tour, she will be doing all the training and preparation necessary to give herself the best chance to do so sometime in the future.