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Ashleigh Barty has been bestowed with the highly coveted Don Award for the second time in her career. She became just the third athlete, following Olympic hurdler Sally Pearson and Olympic pole vaulter Steve Hooker, to win the prize twice.
The award is named after legendary cricketer Sir Donald Bradman, who was the very first inductee into Sport Australia's Hall of Fame. It is given to "honor a current Australian athlete or team who, by their achievements and example in the last 12 months, have most inspired the nation."
It is considered the topmost honor an athlete from the country can receive. Barty won the award for the first time in 2019, following her maiden Grand Slam triumph at the French Open and her ascent to the top of the rankings. She won her third Major title at the Australian Open this year and went on to retire a few weeks later.
Ashleigh Barty is also in the running to win the Newcombe Medal
Ashleigh Barty might have retired months ago, but she's still reaping the benefits of her strong start to the 2022 season. She won the singles and doubles title at the Adelaide International and then became the first home player since Chris O'Neil in 1978 to win the Australian Open.
The 26-year-old was the top-ranked and most dominant player following her victory in Melbourne but decided to leave it all behind. She felt like she had given everything she had to tennis and the time was right to start a new chapter in her life.
After winning the Don Award, Barty is also in contention to walk away with the Newcombe Medal, another prestigious honor. Nominees also include Nick Kyrgios, Alex de Minaur, Matthew Ebden, Storm Hunter, Max Purcell, and Ajla Tomljanovic, who've all performed quite well this year.
Barty has won the award every year since 2017, though she shared the honors with de Minaur in 2018 and Dylan Alcott in 2021. She's already the most decorated athlete when it comes to this award, surpassing Samantha Stosur's record of three wins, and is gunning for a record-extending fifth win.
Since her retirement, Barty has focused on her personal life. She got married to long-time partner Garry Kissick in July. She is also an avid golfer and is quite often spotted on the golf course.
