Retired WTA player Ashleigh Barty will mentor Olivia Gadecki as the Queensland prodigy makes her debut at the Australian Open this month.
An unranked Gadecki attracted international attention when she defeated 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin at the WTA 250 Phillip Island Trophy tournament in Melbourne two years ago. Last season she skipped the Australian Open as she refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19, so now she’s finally making her debut in the main draw of a Grand Slam, as a wildcard helped by none other than the reigning champion Barty.