Baby boom: Barty, Kerber welcome new additions

Former World No. 1s Ashleigh Barty and Angelique Kerber both welcomed new additions to their families. Barty announced the birth of her daughter Jordan, while Kerber introduced her son Ben. Both players expressed love and gratitude for their new arrivals.

Two former World No. 1s have announced new additions to their respective families in recent days. Ashleigh Barty announced the birth of her second child, a daughter named Jordan, over the weekend, with Angelique Kerber also announcing nearly simultaneously that she has welcomed a son named Ben.

"Welcome to the world, Jordan," three-time major champion Barty posted to Instagram on Sunday. The yawning newborn can be seen in the accompanying photo wearing a pom-pom hat, and a onesie embroidered with the phrase "Embrace your weird."

"You are loved unconditionally and we are so grateful to have you in our arms, gorgeous girl," Barty added.

Barty, 29, and husband Garry Kissick are already the parents to son Hayden, who is soon to be 2 years old. The couple announced Barty's second pregnancy on Christmas Day.

Barty received congratulatory comments from many of her former peers on the Hologic WTA Tour including Caroline Garcia, Sloane Stephens and many fellow Australians.

"Congrats Ash and Garry. How exciting to welcome Jordan into your family," wrote 2011 US Open singles champion and current Australia Billie Jean King Cup captain Samantha Stosur, who announced her own pregnancy in April. "She’s a lucky girl."

Barty and Kissick, a professional golfer in Australia, married in 2022, just a few short months after her Australian Open victory on home soil -- her third and final Grand Slam win -- and her subsequent second and final retirement from professional tennis.

Barty spent 121 weeks as World No. 1 in her career, which ranks eighth all-time, and is approaching the fourth anniversary of her lone Wimbledon title next month. In 2021, she became the first Australian woman to win the singles title at the All England Club since Evonne Goolagong Caelwy in 1980.

Meanwhile, Kerber's second child joins older sister Liana, who was born in February of 2023. In her photo, the hands of her family of four can be seen.

"Welcome to our family, Ben," Kerber wrote in her Instagram post. "Our hearts are filled with love and gratitude now that you’re finally in our arms. You are already so deeply loved, and we can’t wait to watch you grow and discover this beautiful world with us."

Kerber, who won two of her Slam titles in 2016 and her third at Wimbledon in 2018, returned to the tour after Liana's birth for what became a farewell tour in 2024. Ranked No. 1 for 34 weeks in her career, eventually capped her career with a quarterfinal run at the Paris Olympic Games, where she was stopped in three thrilling sets by eventual gold medalist Zheng Qinwen.

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