Retired tennis champion Ash Barty was the picture of motherhood as she showed off her blossoming baby bump in a rare public appearance in New Zealand over the weekend.

Barty, 28, shocked the world by quitting tennis after her Australian Open triumph three years ago, and has rejected all suggestions she might return to professional sport in the future.

In July 2023, Barty took to social media to announce the birth of her first child, Hayden, with husband Garry Kissick – and on Christmas Day last year, Barty announced she is pregnant again.

On Sunday afternoon, the former world number one tennis player was spotted in a rare outing at Queenstown Airport.

Barty was pictured wheeling her luggage, while her husband Garry pushed their son Hayden in a stroller.

The three-time grand slam singles champ looked healthy and relaxed, wearing a blue Lorna Jane athletics t-shirt.

Ash Barty was pictured at Queenstown Airport with husband Garry and their son Hayden

Barty announced she was pregnant with her second child in December last year

The former tennis champion is attending the New Zealand Open golf tournament

It’s believed Barty is attending the New Zealand Open golf tournament – which she competed in last year.

Barty is an avid golfer who plays off a handicap of four and has won many tournaments over the years.

She also earned plaudits from golf legend Tiger Woods when she hit balls across the Yarra before the Presidents Cup in Melbourne in 2019.

‘She’s got a great swing. Are you kidding me?’ Woods said at the time.

However, she’s also proved highly skilled at cricket, playing for the Brisbane Heat in 2015-16 when she was taking a break from professional tennis.

Heat coach Andy Richards said, ‘Her skill from the first time she picked up a bat was outstanding … she never missed a ball in her first session.’

Barty smashed 39 from 27 balls for the Heat against the Melbourne Stars in the Women’s Big Bash League in a display that turned plenty of heads.

In January, Barty revealed that she’s terrified of having two young children at home. 

The couple welcomed Hayden into the world just one year after they tied the knot

Barty told press last month that she is terrified of having two small children at home

Barty sensationally quit professional tennis at the peak of her powers following her watershed Australian Open win in January 2022

The Aussie sports star has ruled out a return to tennis

‘It’s been probably the best part of my life, being able to share this next chapter with my husband Garry, and we have no idea what we’re doing but he’s alive and he’s happy,’ she told the Herald Sun.

‘Terrified for what is going to come next but we’ll figure it out, I’m sure.’

Barty said it’s not in her nature to deal with ‘chaos’ but she hopes to make it work.

‘As an athlete I used to be the most meticulous, organised person and now it’s absolute carnage,’ she said.

The champ posted to Instagram on Christmas Day to share the jovial family news of her new arrival with her followers.

She posted a sweet picture of her son Hayden standing in front of their Christmas tree wearing a T-shirt with some telling words on.

It read: ‘I’m going to be a… big brother,’ as Ash revealed the exciting news in her adorable Christmas Day post.

Alongside the snap, she penned: ‘Merry Christmas from our growing family to yours!’