Australian tennis legend Ash Barty has been nominated for the sport’s Hall of Fame, but it has been overshadowed by a surprise omission.
The three-time grand slam winner retired four years ago, despite being ranked No.1 in the world at the time and still just 25 years old.
Ash Barty. Darrian Traynor via Getty Images
Barty, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Juan Martín del Potro have all been named in the ballot for the 2027 class, but one notable name not included is Serena Williams.
Despite seemingly fitting the criteria, Williams – widely regarded as the greatest female player of the modern era – missed out for next year’s class.
Under the rules, players must not be a “significant factor” on the ATP or WTA tour for five calendar years. Williams retired in 2022, but returned at Wimbledon this year where she injured her knee in a first round loss to Australian Maya Joint. That brief return is unlikely to tick the “significant factor” box, but there is still a chance she will continue playing next year.
Tennis journalist Jon Wertheim raised a few theories as to why the American legend wasn’t named alongside some of her peers.
He described the omission of Williams as “real drama”.
Williams won 23 grand slam titles during her career and would be a shoo-in for the prestigious honour, but her recent comeback could mean she has to wait until 2031 to be nominated or inducted for the Hall of Fame.
The 45-year-old has only played five official matches this year, with two of them coming at major events at Wimbledon and the US Open.