"Our beautiful boy" - Ashleigh Barty welcomes first child with husband Garry Kissick

Ashleigh Barty has welcomed her first child with her husband Garry Kissick.

Barty and Australian professional golfer Garry Kissick have been together since 2017. The couple announced their engagement in November 2021 and married in July 2022, three months after the tennis player’s retirement.

In January 2023, less than a year after hanging her racquet, Ashleigh Barty revealed that she was pregnant with her first child.

“2023 set to be the best year yet. We are so excited for our new adventure,” she wrote at the time.

On Tuesday, July 4, Barty’s husband Kissick took to social media to announce the birth of their first child – a baby boy called Hayden. He also shared an adorable picture of the young one.

“Our beautiful boy. Welcome to the world, Hayden!” Kissick wrote on the couple’s Instagram post, adding a heart emoji.

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Ashleigh Barty's noteworthy career achievements

Ashleigh Barty at the 2023 Australian Open

Ashleigh Barty is regarded as one of the most tactical WTA players in history. The Aussie was known for her all-court prowess and her knack for implementing a variety of shots during play.

The 27-year-old lifted three singles Grand Slam titles in her career – at the 2019 French Open, the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, and the 2022 Australian Open. She also was the 2018 US Open women’s doubles champion alongside partner CoCo Vandeweghe.

Barty clinched a total of 15 career singles titles and 12 career doubles titles, including the Majors. She also won the WTA Finals in 2019.

The Aussie ascended the World No. 1 throne for the first time in June 2019, just weeks after claiming her maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open. While her first stint at the top spot was short-lived, Barty reclaimed her World No. 1 position later that year, after making the fourth round of the US Open.

She then stayed put at the peak for an impressive 114 consecutive weeks. The three-time Grand Slam champion’s feat is the fourth-longest WTA No. 1 streak in history.

The Aussie’s streak was eventually halted after she announced her surprise retirement in March 2022. Ashleigh Barty took a leave from tennis ranked No. 1 in the world, with her Australian Open final victory against Danielle Collins in January 2022 becoming the final match of her career.

"I know how much it takes to challenge at the top of the sport. I don’t have that in me anymore. I know I’m spent. I know in my heart, this is right. I’m ready. I’m grateful for everything that tennis has given me but I’m ready to step away, chase other dreams and put the racquets down," Barty said while announcing her retirement.