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Australian tennis icon Ash Barty has safely given birth to her first child.
In a post to Instagram on Tuesday night, the former Wimbledon champion announced she had given birth with a picture of a cute tucked-up baby.
“Welcome to the world, Hayden!” read the caption.
This is Barty and her husband, professional golfer Garry Kissick’s, first child.
The two tied the knot earlier last year in a private ceremony in Queensland.
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The comments were filled with legendary tennis and sports stars congratulating the couple on bringing little Hayden into the world.
The Matilda’s captain Sam Kerr sent her congratulations alongside her former Big Bash League team Brisbane Heat.
Tennis great Casey Dellacqua commented: “Hi gorgeous little man, we love you xxx."
“Future Wimbledon champ?” commented the official account for Wimbledon, while the Australian Open account called Hayden: “The greatest triumph.”
Other tennis stars such as former Danish Number One Caroline Wozniacki, Australian Sam Stosur, and Dutch doubles delight Demi Schuurs also sent their love to the couple.
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The former World Number One tennis star revealed she was pregnant in January with a post saying: "2023 set to be the best year yet. We are so excited for our new adventure”.
Prior to announcing her pregnancy, in March 2022, Barty announced her retirement from tennis.
This decision came after Barty won the women’s single’s title on home turf at the 2022 Australian Open.
With 15 singles titles and 12 doubles titles from WTA tours, a bronze Olympic medal and an Order of Australia medal, Barty left the sport feeling satisfied.
“I am so thankful for everything this sport has given me and leave feeling proud and fulfilled,” she said in a video on her Instagram.
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“I’ll never stop loving tennis. It’ll always be a massive part of my life. But now I think it’s important that I get to enjoy the next phase of my life as Ash Barty the person, not as Ash Barty the athlete.”
With a superstar tennis machine as a mother and a professional golfer as a father, who knows, we may have another Aussie sports legend on our hands with little Hayden.
Velentina Boulter