Latest news with #AshBarty
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Former Wimbledon champion, 29, resurfaces in viral ad with Rafael Nadal three years after bombshell retirement
A FORMER Wimbledon champion resurfaced in a viral ad alongside Rafael Nadal. The Australian superstar was the No1 tennis player in the world and reigned at the All England Club in 2021. 7 7 7 She then followed it up by winning her home Grand Slam in January 2022. But Ash Barty, 29, stunned the sporting world when she suddenly retired from tennis two months later at the top of the game. She has kept a low profile since, getting married to golfer Garry Kissick and welcoming the second of her two children last week, a daughter called Jordan. Now, though, after three years out of the public spotlight, Barty made a shock comeback. She stars in a hilarious 90-second commercial for car manufacturer Kia to promote their new pick-up truck, the Kia Tasman. Barty plays the role of Tasman Town's newest resident after buying a fixer-upper crumbling old house in the countryside. She then calls in a load of 'tradies' to get the pad in shape - with Australian sporting heroes including Erin Phillips, Peter Daicos, Dane Swan, Jason Gillespie, Buddy Franklin, Alexander Volkanovski, Dylan Alcott and Pat Rafter all arriving on site in their Kia Tasmans. Two-time Wimbledon finalist Rafter - naturally - is in charge of the turf with his company 'Best On Grass'. But when they spot the roof is in need of repairs, recently-retired Nadal is called in, having been sponsored by Kia for many years. And the Spaniard - dubbed Rafa's Roofs - hilariously picked up the video call on his phone and left Australians in stitches with his cameo and response. He said: "I am flat out." Then leaning in towards the camera, he asked: "Is it a cashie?" - Aussie slang for an under-the-table cash-in-hand job. Like Nadal, Barty won the French Open - albeit just the once in 2019. That came just two years after she returned to tennis' majors following a two-year absence from the biggest tournaments as she took a break from the sport - and even played semi-pro cricket. Since hanging up her racquet for good, the Queensland queen has even played in pro golf tournaments as well as having her two children. Barty was a pundit for the BBC at Wimbledon last year and proved a popular addition - but the timing of Jordan's recent arrival may rule her out of 2025's tournament. 7 7 7 7
The Australian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Australian
Australian tennis ace Ash Barty announces birth of second child
Australian tennis ace Ash Barty has welcomed her second child to the world. Barty announced the birth of baby girl, Jordan, on her Instagram on Monday afternoon. 'Welcome to the world, Jordan,' the 29-year-old wrote next to a cute photo of the baby yawning in a onesie with the words 'Embrace your weird'. 'You are loved unconditionally and we are so grateful to have you in our arms, gorgeous girl.' It's the second child for Barty and husband Garry Kissick. Their son Hayden will soon turn two. Ash Barty is a mum, again. Ash Barty shared a first pic of Jordan. Picture: Instagram Fellow sports stars and celebs were quick to offer their congratulations. 'There she is, hi gorgeous Jordan. Can't wait to cuddle you soon. Good job Mum and Dad xx,' wrote tennis great Casey Dellacqua. Swimming great Giaan Rooney commented: 'Huge congratulations team!'. And Dr Chris Brown shared similar sentiments: 'Congrats you guys!! So special.' Barty and Kissick announced they were expanding their brood in an Instagram post late on Christmas Day. Hayden appeared in the post in a T-shirt reading 'I am going to be a big brother'. The caption read: 'Merry Christmas from our growing family to yours!'. Ash Barty is having baby number two. Picture: Ash Barty/Instagram Ash Barty and husband Garry Kissick. Picture: David Geraghty In an interview with the Courier Mail in January, Barty opened up about the most surprising thing she had learned about parenthood. 'No two days are the same! Being patient and learning to accept that it's OK to not get it right all the time. It's hard but it is the greatest thing I've ever done, I feel very lucky to have Hayden,' she said. Read related topics: Ashleigh Barty Maria Bervanakis Morning Digital Editor Maria Bervanakis is the Morning Digital Editor at News Corp's Premium National News Network. With more than a decades' experience at News Corp, she leads a team to produce national and world stories across all masthead titles. @bervanews Maria Bervanakis
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Why NBA champion chose WA's South West as his escape
When you're seven feet tall like former Chicago Bulls star Luc Longley, poking at those hard-to-reach places around the house doesn't often require a ladder. The three-time NBA champion — now based in Perth — has joined a host of recognisable Aussie sports personalities to star in the latest Kia Tasman ad premiering tonight during State of Origin in Perth. Lacking the nimbleness of co-stars Ash Barty or former AFL gun Dane Swan, Longley is tasked with getting 'in the paint' as the famous figures give a run-down property some love. Even Spanish tennis icon Rafael Nadal, who's no stranger to clay, offers to get his hands dirty. Dane Swan joins the party at Ash Barty's Kia Tasman-inspired home reno. Credit: Enthral Unfortunately, Longley suggests, raking in rebounds and providing assists to former teammate Michael Jordan came a little more naturally than getting hands-on at home ever has. Actually, it depends who you ask. 'It's funny, because my wife would say I'm really handy — my friends would say that I'm not,' he told The West Australian. 'I believe in horses for courses. If you want a job done right, you get a professional but I can turn my hand to anything, just probably do it badly, except, obviously for painting, because Ash (Barty) got the best.' Relocating to Perth in the last couple of years with wife and celebrity chef Anna Gare, Longley spent decades escaping the bright lights of the court and stresses of life in WA's tranquil South West region. Elephant Rocks, William Bay National Park. Credit: Beau Jones @beahjones (Instagram) In 1991, the 56-year-old purchased a property 15 minutes outside of Denmark upon turning professional. 'It was the first thing I bought with my professional basketball money. And I always wanted to have a sanctuary,' he said. Claiming the town was 'much sleepier back then', the HoopsFest ambassador was attracted to the natural landscapes and close proximity to the ocean. He even hosted fellow Sydney Kings co-owner Andrew Bogut, a fellow NBA champion, at his property recently as the pair took a dip in the majestic waters. But Longley wouldn't divulge all of his favourite hideaways. 'Secret spots aren't for giving up, but Greens Pool, Elephant Rocks, Madfish Bay, that whole chain of coast along there is for exploring, for sure,' he said. Andrew Bogut has represented Australia at the Olympics. Credit: METHODE / METHODE Longley admitted the pair don't always see 'eye-to-eye', but respect what the other has achieved as two of the premier seven-foot exports to find success in the NBA. As to who would win a one-on-one if each were in their prime, Longley is as curious to find out as the next Aussie basketball fan. 'I'd love to get in that time machine. Have a go at it,' he teased. 'I mean, he was quicker than me, which he'll happily tell you, so I probably would have had trouble with him in the in the full court, but I'd handle him in the half court. No worries.'
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
New mum Ash Barty has bought a fixer upper and has called in some help! Grand Slam superstar teams up with Rafael Nadal and Aussie sport legends for hilarious new advert
New mum Ash Barty has bought a fixer-upper and has called in some favours from some legends of the Aussie sporting world, and Spannish tennis great Rafael Nadal, as part of a hilarious new advert. KIA sent sporting fans into meltdown last year with their brilliant TV advert for their latest pickup truck, with 20 Australia sports stars, including the likes of Swans legend Buddy Franklin, UFC great Alexander Volkanovski and tennis great Dylan Alcott, all appearing in the advert. But this time, the South Korean car manufacturer has taken things up a notch, with Barty returning to headline the brand's latest advertisement for its new KIA Tasman pickup. It comes just a day after the three-time Grand Slam winner, Barty, announced to the world that she had given birth to her second child. The tennis legend, who retired in 2022, took to Instagram on Monday to share several pictures of her newborn baby, writing: 'Welcome to the world Jordan. You are loved unconditionally and we are so grateful to have you in our arms, gorgeous girl.' But the mum of two showed off her acting skills during the clip, which was previewed on Nine's Current Affair on Tuesday. The advert begins with Barty arriving at a run-down house in the countryside, with the Aussie tennis star, 29, looking down at a real estate brochure showing a pristine-looking house, but the camera then pans up to show that the advert was severely misleading, with the house in all sorts of disrepair. 'Home sweet home,' a lady says to Barty as they arrive at the house, with the tennis great replying: 'Needs a bit of work...' The pair then have called in several legends from the world of Aussie sport to help them do up the house, including AFL legend Peter Daicos, Test cricket great Jason Gillespie, AFL Hall of Famer Erin Phillips, and tennis champion Pat Rafter. The hilarious advertisement also sees Spanish tennis great and 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal make a brief appearance. Nadal, who appeared in a video call, drew upon his knowledge of Aussie slang when pressed on whether he'd come and help Barty renovate the house. He replied by hilariously asking: 'Is it a cashie?' 'He's dreaming,' Barty's construction manager responded. Nadal revealed to Nine's A Current Affair that he had 'heard of the slang before.' He added 'It's a funny thing. An Australian expression.' The ex-sports stars-turned-tradies begin to arrive in the new KIA Tasman pickups to help Barty fix-up her new home. Basketball legend Luc Longley and Phillips, turn up to sort the decorations on the house, with the pair covered in paint. Barty is seen shouting at the pair, appearing to poke fun at the 7ft 2in former NBA star's height, asking: 'You guys need a ladder?' AFLW superstar Phillips, who was last week inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame, replied: 'Nah think we'll be right!' with Longley laughing: 'Ladders.' During the ad, Longley drops a number of basketball-related puns, with his painting company for the advertisement being called 'In The Paint' - a reference to the rectangular area on the court by the basket, where he spent most of his time on the court as a player. 'I love the sign on my Tasman. They had in the paint on the side in a basketball keyway. They've obviously given a lot of thought to it,' he told A Current Affair. KIA have also played on the words of Peter Daicos' nickname, with the former Collingwood star being well known among footy fans as the Macedonian Marvel. During the add, his building company is known as Macedonian Marble, with Daicos introducing himself to the cameras by showcasing a thick slab of 'beautiful Macedonian marble'. 'I'm not going to sit by the phone and wait for Hollywood, but I think I've got a little bit of tidying up to do when it comes to acting,' Daicos said. Another Collingwood great, Dane Swan, also appears in the clip playing Barty's next-door neighbour, with the footy star making light on his reputation as a player who enjoyed going out partying. He rocks up next door in a KIA Tasman with the logo 'Dane's Party Supplies' printed on its window, unloading several large speakers from its flatbed. 'I'm happy to be the party supplier, it was very true in real life so might as well throw it to the ad,' he said. NRL great Geoff Toovey also joins up with the sporting legends and, of course, has to make a cameo where he repeats the iconic line he said in a press conference during his time at Manly: 'That's ridiculous, there's got to be an investigation.' Meanwhile, Barty called in the services of Rafter, known for his amazing skills on grass tennis courts, to lay turf on the lawns around the house. But Rafter never won at Wimbledon, reaching the final on two occasions, with Barty, who did win the grass major in 2022, joking that 'her husband wasn't available' to come and lay the turf, joking that she called Pat instead. They then revealed what trade they'd choose if they went on to work in the construction industry. Barty said: 'Probably something in landscaping. I love being outside. I wouldn't trust myself to look after something structurally inside of a home but can look after a plant.'
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘Gorgeous girl': Ash Barty announces birth of daughter Jordan
Retired Australian tennis star Ash Barty has announced the birth of her first daughter, Jordan. Barty and her husband, golf professional Garry Kissick, already have a son, Hayden, born almost two years ago. The former world No 1 and Kissick revealed the arrival of their 'gorgeous girl' in a joint Instagram post on Monday. 'Welcome to the world, Jordan' the parents said. 'You are loved unconditionally and we are so grateful to have you in our arms, gorgeous girl.' The post, which included a photo of baby Jordan in a white beanie, has sparked a wave of congratulations and well wishes. Barty's former doubles partner Casey Dellacqua was one of the first to congratulate the second-time parents. 'Hi gorgeous Jordan,' Dellacqua said. 'Can't wait to cuddle you soon. Good job mum and dad.' Australia's 2011 US Open singles champion, Sam Stosur, wrote, 'Congrats Ash and Garry. How exciting to welcome Jordan into your family … she's a lucky girl.' This article includes content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'. Barty won the 2022 Australian Open, 2021 Wimbledon and 2019 French Open titles but shocked the tennis world by deciding to call time on her tennis career at the age of 25. Her retirement from competitive tennis came just seven weeks after she ended Australia's 44-year singles title drought in Melbourne. Sign up to Australia Sport Get a daily roundup of the latest sports news, features and comment from our Australian sports desk after newsletter promotion The former Young Australian of the Year said at the time of her retirement that tennis would aways hold a special place in her heart, but she was looking forward to a life without the stresses of playing on the women's tour. The three-time grand slam champion has since returned to play an invitational doubles match during Wimbledon last year. Barty has dabbled in golf and was the headline act in the Icons series, a teams exhibition event featuring former golfers and retired athletes from other sports, in 2022. Barty married Kissick in July 2022, exchanging vows in a private ceremony in Queensland.
